The Duke's Lover
by velvetsins
Summary: "SCANDAL: In the night of his Birthday, the cold-hearted Duke Byakuya Kuchiki was found in his bedroom with an unknown and mysterious Lady. The entire Kingdom is now curious. Who is she?" Byakuya closed the morning newspaper. "Her name is Rukia and she is going to be my wife". [ByaRuki AU - Rated M for the theme]
1. The skilled lady thief

**Hi! xD**

**I know it's been a pretty long time since I last updated one of my other stories and the old readers who come to read this one will be like "One more fanfic? She's not even updating the old ones!" But give me chance…**

**2014 wasn't as I expected and a lot of bad things happened in my life. When I last saw I was almost depressed, or indeed depressed, I can't say it for sure since I didn't look for a doctor (my bad, I know). But when everything was falling apart, I decided to write again… And here I confronted a problem… My other stories didn't make me feel any good. So I found this old story (which was and still is a gift for a friend, if you read it, hope you don't mind I'm updating it earlier) in my files and thought "why not?" And here you have the results: The Duke's Lover.**

**It's a ByaRuki AU and set in London, 1816. Yeap, it's a Regency Story. I love such stories and I decided to write one myself. But that's not why it's is important to me **** It also helped me a lot to recover my self-esteem and see things through a new and more optimist, which I find essential, point of view. **

**Keep in mind English is****not****my first language, but rest assured I'll do my best to make it understandable. And this chapter is also not betaed, so... you know, forgive me and warn me if you find many mistakes. I'll do my best to correct them all. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot. **

**Warnings: Will contain at times; violence, sexual, drugs and historical references, coarse language, and possibly OCCness.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1. The skilled lady thief<strong>

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><p><em>"Dear Diary, I think my sanity has gone away and will never come back."<em>

The sunrays shone strongly on the glossy razor surface blinding its owner momentarily. Taking advantage of these few seconds ahead, the petite girl placed her hands on the dagger and moved it away from her throat. Her palms blazed due to the cuts, but all she could do was ignore it.

Stepping backwards, she grabbed a steely bar ― there were lots of them around, including in the worn roof ―, and hit him quickly. But he was fast, very fast, and dodged away, preventing her movement. Then, he gripped the same bar and forced it against her, who dropped it immediately. Apart from her just a few inches, he looked intensely into her eyes. Determined violet locked on furious hazed gray.

Both of them were bleeding in several parts, but sure as hell he was the most injured. Multiple small cuts graced his face, as if they were some kind of ornament. His lips and cheeks were badly hurt. One could say she prided herself for being the one who created those three scars straight over the right side of his face, starting below his eye and ending on his jaw line.

On his mouth,there was a considerable amount of blood. He spat out and brushed his lips with his right hand. She could see two of his teeth missing and smiled to herself proudly.

As for she, of course she was also injured. Her face had also several small scuffs due to the recent crash against the mirror, but the cut on her throat was the most severe. Her dirty dress was ripped apart, leaving her on her under clothes. Nonetheless, she had no time to cover her body or to think of modesty. No. She had to plan how to finish that fight as soon as possible.

Looking around, she tried to find something to hit him. Anything. Her eyes then locked on the wall. A sword glowed, reflecting the sunlight, and she wondered if she could wield it.

Never mind.

She would succeed.

She had no option left.

Nevertheless, before she could make any movement, she heard a loud cry not far away. And that was enough for him to grab the sword and go against her.

The cries increased and soon the couple entered the room where they was a blond man trying to rape a small woman.

Growling, she reached a log of wood and attacked the blond man, however, her opponent sliced it apart. This way, she did not think twice and hit him with bare hands. Firstly on his hands, to make him drop the sword, and then on his arms and abdomen. It was of no use. His body was toned. That kind of coup would never hurt him for real.

He bent over her, but she gave him no time to counterattack and this time hit him on his chest. He breathed hard and she took advantage of the moment to knock him down. He fell right above the mirror pieces.

It was not a big deal, though, for the pieces were very, very small. If he remained in this position he would not be severely hurt. However, he moved and when he did it, the barsfell from the ceiling and pierced his stomach. The sharp tip drilled his organs and he shivered in pain. His body trembled violently for a few seconds and suddenly stopped, standing still.

The breath of live left his eyes.

He was dead.

The petite girl glanced back and found the other man opening wide the woman's legs. She was already undressed and crying. She was no longer fighting him. Lying under his body, she was ready to face whatever he would do to her. In savage mood, he did not notice when the girl ran up to them and pushed him.

His shirt was ripped apart in the movement. They fought against each other, but he was too strong for her, slapping her twice on the face. Thrice.

She groaned in pain, but braced herself to continue fighting. Eyes, ears, arms, legs. She hit him wherever she could reach. And when she thought it was too much for her to deal, the older girl set fire on his face. He groaned in pain. His face burned like hell.

It was perfect, she thought, as she saw the opened large window. The cold air of the winter welcomed them. She looked down, calculating. A fall of ten feet straight to the river. Then she turned her attention to him. He was still fighting the flames, slapping his own face to extinguish them, but he was not dead andthat fall could kill him for sure. She bit her lower lip and looked at the older girl. It was now or never. Breathing hard three times, she grabbed him by his shirt and jumped direct to their deaths.

Her last sentence, "I caught you."

**#**#****#****

"Rukia… Hey! Rukia! Rukia!" The buxom woman waved her hand to catch the attention of her friend.

Rukia blinked several times and then snapped her Rangiku'shand away. The strange sensation from seconds ago was still disappearing from her mind. She sighed recalling what she had just seen. The same daydream, for the umpteenth time.

"Are you… okay?" Rangiku asked as she saw the girl throwing off the books from her head.

"Actually, not." She sighed again and closed her eyes. "There is no way in the whole world for it work out!"

"Rukia!"

"I give up! You see, I'm terrible!"

Rangiku let out a frustrated sigh as she rose up and walked towards the raven-haired girl in front of her. Placing her hands on Rukia's shoulders, she gave a friendly squeeze and said, "Calm down. I thought you wanted to help."

"I want. I really want, but I can't. I cannot do this. I'm a maid, not a skilled lady thief and I will always be a maid."

"No. You're not a lady or maid." She took off the _'skilled thief lady'_wittingly. "You're Rukia and that's sufficient to me!"

"I'm trying. You know I am…" The girl sat down on the couch. "But I'm simple terrible and they will find it out. He will…"

"Rukia," an old man called her in his strong and serious tone.

"Lord Barragan!" she exclaimed, surprised with his sudden apparition. She rose up and bowed dutifully.

"I suppose you are ready for tonight," he said entering the living room. His mere presence was sufficient to make Rukia and Rangiku exchange worried looks.

"I'm deeply sorry, Lord Barragan." She bowed again. "But you see I can't help with that task."

"You are not allowed to give up. Shall I remember you who you are and why you are still ali-

"And I'm doing my best working here." Rukia cut him off quickly, trying to make herself clear. "I'm really trying to help you all in this…"

"Enough!" He silenced her with this single sentence. The girl looked up at him and bit her bottom lip, anxiety eating her insides. "You will do what you are supposed to do. Even if it includes behaving as a lady and dancing with him or opening your legs until you can sneak into his room to steal that document." His tone was emotionless as he looked into her violet eyes.

Rukia swallowed hard. Just to think of the possibility made her throat go dry.

"R-Right!" she quickly answered lowering her eyes.

Barragan kept looking at her and before leaving the main room, he spoke, "I hope you do not like watching us being killed one by one. But just in case you think it's a joke… just remember I can make your bloody head the next attraction of the city." When he finished, his tone was already soothing, almost fatherly. Have I made myself clear?"

A weird silence wrapped the place. Rukia kept her eyes lowered and kept entwining her hands over her lap, playing with her thumbs interestedly. Rangiku let out another sigh, causing the petite woman to think that was her most repeated gesture. The blond one merely cleared her throat and broke the silence.

"Okay. Let's try again," she said energetically, but after touched her chin pensively. "Rather: I will ask you some questions and you will answer them according to what we have been studying last days."

Rukia groaned in protest, leaning against the couch. And she dared to think things could not get worse.

"Don't make this kind of sound. It's not feminine or proper for a lady."

"Should I repeat myself? I'm not a lady! It is madness and you know it!"

"Yes. You are not a lady! You are a gorgeous and talented actress. Well… you you are a preceptor. A good one." She winked maliciously. "Believe me: Lord Kuchiki will never know you are trying to steal him."

"Are you underestimating him?"

"No, but you are underestimating yourself."

Both sighed. Rukia lowered her eyes again, eyeing the floor with a pretending interest.

"Where is the Duke's study?"

"Second floor. Last corridor. Left. Double-faced doors. Probably locked."

"Good." Rangiku clapped her hands in excitement. "Who has the keys?"

"His loyal servant, Chōjirō. But Momo also has a copy since she is the only maid allowed to enter his private area."

"And today is…"

"The Duke's birthday. 25 years and a whole century of coldness and vast experience with breaking young ladies' hearts."

"Rukia!" Rangiku was shocked. "You must never say such things."

"Next question," the girl said coolly.

"What if someone sees you there?"

"Well… if it's a servant I can say that I have lost my way." She rolled her eyes and changed her tone. "Oh this mansion is so big, I got lost. Could you help me, please?" She then returned to her usual self. "The same if it's a noble. If it's Lord Kuchiki himself, I have to play the damsel in distress. Perhaps simulate a faint in his arms."

"Very good."

Rukia rolled her eyes. Was she serious?

"Really? Can't I simply knock him down? I'm good on it."

"Of course not! Are you really trying your luck? He would kill you for sure."

"It's not like someone would miss me."

Rangiku's blue eyes popped open in disbelief. She was not serious, was she? The buxom woman faced her friend and her gaze softened a little as she asked in a low tone, "Don't you want to fall madly in love?"

"Love is a thing for women. Only the stupid ones."

"Men use to like that stupid ones," she pointed out venomously.

"I'm not interested in them. Next question."

"If a man asks you to accompany him in a third dance what answer would you give?"

"I'm going to this ball as Miss Kyouraku's chaperone. I'm not going to dance. In fact, I should be invisible there. The less noticed I can be the better."

"Whatever." Rangiku shrugged. "But you know today is his birthday and if he wants, he can asks any woman to dance with him."

"Fine. I will answer this one."

Rukia cleared her throat, straightening up in her sit position to answer in a very forced and sweet tone, "Then, I would say, _I'm sorry, my lord it is not polite for a lady to accompany a man in a dance more than two times_".

Rangiku widened her eyes and cried out in shock.

"He is a Duke! You are supposed to gladly oblige in everything he asks you!"

"Yes. You are right. He is a Duke not a God or the King himself," she said and laughed after seeing Rangiku's face frowned in disbelief.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Me? Nothing. What the hell should I answer?"

"Watch your words, Rukia! You're a lady and you should behave as one!"

"I'm sorry, Rangiku. You see... I'm..."

"Enough sorry, Rukia. Let's continue."

"I mean... I thought that was the rule _not dancing more than two times with a man._ What should I teach my pupils then?"

"With a man. Byakuya Kuchiki is not a man, but _the_ man. You had better remember this."

"Then, what answer should I give?"

"_Of course, milord _in a very smooth tone will be good. Perhaps _My pleasure is pleasing you_ but you know it could sound a little bit..."

"What?" she asked curiously.

Rangiku rolled her eyes thinking how Rukia could be this innocent. "Nothing." She sighed. "By the way, about our plan B. I would like to talk about the party to be held at Shihouin Manor in Bach and…"

"Be sure there won't be a plan B. I'll finish it all tonight."

Finishing this line, she rose up and left a stunned Rangiku behind. She did not want to talk about this anymore.

Not today. Not never.

**###**

He stared at the window of this study and narrowed his eyes a little. It was a very cloudy day. However, it was not snowing, which was a bit surprising given the fact it was did not take much time on it and turned his attention to his paperwork. After reading the document, he signed at its end.

It was a project of a new ship. It took few hours of his day but Byakuya was satisfied with the results. Truth be told, he had never been into this subject, but after his father's death he had become obsessed with vessels.

Sojun Kuchiki, the man who knew everything about ships ― not too different from him nowadays ―, died ten years ago during the Battle of Trafalgar. Byakuya was only fifteen at that time. His mother died not long after. Two years, to be precise.

Back then,the company of his family was known by its good ships for war. Mainly because of his grandfather, Ginrei, who were really into the war at that time. Sadly, he also died after the Battle of Waterloo and Byakuya was now completely alone.

It was not a big deal, though. Despite the fact he was surrounded by so many people all the time, he always felt lonely. Even in the war it had been this way.

He remembered his last years. Since he was eighteen, he joined his grandfather on the war. Albeit Ginrei hadnever wanted it, he never said a word against his grandson's decision. The battle against France met his end in Waterloo, one year ago. The England became the winner thanks to a smart and perspicacious move under the Wellington's Duke Command. He was there and spent almost eight years of his life fighting against the French. Those were difficult days, but Byakuya regret none. He was just a spoiled and weak kid at that time and now a man. War made him strong.

A few years ago, he merely sold ships for war and was a soldier as well. Nowadays,he changed his business, selling ships for business. In the end, the Duke of Somerset was a businessperson.

No one could say he was not good at convincing people and taking whatever he wanted, though Byakuya considered himself better handling a sword or commanding his ships.

Yet, he knew it was not proper for someone of his social position. He had to deal with his company and some family issues.

Accurately, provide the heir.

Byakuya was not old. He was only 25, but he was a Duke and dukes do not born every day. Especially, someone so close to the King. Sometimes, it bothered him, because he had to appear at social events ― most of them he did not like ― and to deal with the starched arrogant from the House of Lords.

Once he was travelling the past fifteen days, he could not know the tension, which had taken over the Parliament. The King's healthy had worsened in these days and most of the members of the House of Lords were considering the possibility of his death. Byakuya could not affirm he would die soon, but he thought _Your Majesty's_ illness could create a large internal problem. However, he would know soon.

Tonight ― in the next few hours ―, he would attend to a ball. Precisely, his birthday party. It would be held on his own house. The Kuchiki Manor. The house of the Duke of Somerset.

Nonetheless, Byakuya did not care. To be honest, he had no intention to show up. He knew most of those people would be there not because of him, but his title. His wealth. His power and everything he had won during all his life. That's why this party meant nothing to him.

But he would make an apparition because he needed to get into the news, besides, get the Elders relieved. He did not need choose a woman to marry right now, but the mere fact they would leave him in peace was good enough.

Byakuya shook his head and stared at his uncompleted new project was still without a decent name. He had no idea how to nominate his first Steamboat. Most of his ships now were destined to commercial purposes and, sometimes, were bought by food retailers and for other business. The steamboat would be destined to transport people. It was not a project for big distances, but he was sure his ship could transport people from countries like Germany, France and Portugal to England and vice versa. It would be a big and important project. He needed a good name and soon.

The next couple of minutes Byakuya spent studying the costs of the project, but he could not avoid the strange sensation on his chest. He could not forget the letter he had received as soon as he got back home. About _that_ notebook. He opened his first drawer and looked at the small leather cover.

It seems he needed to find another place to store it.

**###**

The sun was replaced by a beautiful and hazed moon. It was a very pleasant night, in spite of being winter. Rukia squeezed her gloved hands nervously inside the closed carriage.

She glanced at her own image on the glassed window and then averted her eyes to the lady in front of her and her father. Soi Fong and Shunsui Kyouraku. The Marquis of Foxworthy and his daughter, the next Marquise. They looked so beautiful, like oil paintings. Soi Fong was wearing a full dress in white color. The color for unmarried woman who were looking for a husband. Not looking, but available for marriage.

Rukia looked down at her own dress and sighed. She was supposed to wear an unsightly and dull dress, not that salmon made of silk fabric. She was supposed to act like a chaperone, not a lady. Not that she thought she was beautiful. Far from it.

She knew she was too petite to be considered attractive. Her hair was short and she barely had curves. She was not beautiful as Rangiku or Nelliel or gracious as Momo could be (even though Momo was a maid like her). She was not also intelligent as Soi Fong.

But she was not angry because of her appearance. Rukia was far too worried. Being in that dress could spoil her mission. If she needed to sneak out of his chambers all of sudden, it would probably be impossible.

Sighing, she gave up on such thoughts. What was done was back at Soi Fong, she smiled a bit. The tiny girl was serious, concentrated on the moon and Rukia knew why. Soi Fong was possibly one of the strongest candidates to become the new Lady Kuchiki.

Tonight Soi Fong would meet, dance and possibly talk to her future husband. Rukia felt sorry for her. No woman deserved such a cold, heartless man as a lover.

All of sudden, the brougham carriage stopped in front a huge mansion. Rukia gaped. She had never been in such a beautiful place before. The building looked enormous. Its Greek columns made it look majestic and, at the same time, scary. By its entrance, she could see, through the innumerous roman-style windows, the light that lit up the Ballroom and could hear the soft sound of the music.

Rukia was truly amazed.

The size was a bit intimidating. She had never been in such large place, surrounded by too many important, well-dressed people. It caused her stomach to flinch.

The girl pressed her mouth shut. She surely would not be catch like those girls, overexcited just because she was entering the street where only the richest nobles lived, the renowned Saint James Street. It sounded also a bit ironic. A street rat like her entering that mansion. Rukia had to brace herself. Everything should be perfect that night. Besides, she was also there to support Soi Fong.

The coachman opened the door and the Marquis helped Soi Fon and her to disembark. The double-faced dark wooden door greeted them and Rukia swallowed hard.

Soon they would be announced at the Ball. Soon her mission would start.

**###**

The Ball had already begun, but the Duke was still in his study. This time he was fully dressed and sipping some brandy. He knew his guests were waiting his arriving expectantly, but he did not care.

He was still focused on his project and how long it would take. Fifteen days, one month. No more than it. At least, that was what they had told him.

Participate of that Ball was not on his plans, but the Elders had everything planned and he could not avoid the sensation that something was not right. For some reason, he knew that he would face a turnaround in his life soon.

His future wife. Probably.

Soi Fong Kyouraku, the only daughter of Shunsui Kyouraku. A young lady in her first Season. He asked himself why marriage was still too important. He totally disliked those Season Balls. It was like an auction, where dames sold her daughters and chased wealthy bachelors.

Sadly, he was one of these wealthy bachelors.

Byakuya placed his glass on the table and stared at the window. He could see the carriages stopping right in front of his Manor. Well-dressed gentlemen, enchanting ladies in a profusion of black, brown, white, pink and bright colors.

He could also hear the sound of the music coming from the lower floor. Usually, the Ball could only officially begin with his presence. However, he ordered it to start without him. The sooner it started, the sooner it ended.

And less he needed to interact with those people.

When he was almost closing the curtains, he noticed a color he had not until now. A petite lady dressed in a salmon silk full-dress disembarked from a brougham carriage and looked straight at him. Byakuya's heart missed a beat as her eyes locked on his.

He turned on his heels and by grabbing his dress coat he left his study room.

It seems the night would not be this boring.

**###**

Rukia could never think so badly of a man as she already thought of the Duke. How dare he to let his guests waiting?

Cold. Heartless and unpunctual. Besides, impolite. These adjectives could describe quite well the Duke of Somerset. What did he think? Did he see himself as the King? As a God?

By her side, Soi Fong was uneasy. The same could be said about all the other girls around her. The Marquis was far from them, talking to an old man, the one she recognized from her conversations with Rangiku. If she was not mistaken, he was Genryusai ― another Duke, though she could not remember the name of his title.

She watchedSoi Fong attentively. She was surrounded by several girls of her age, all of them wondering when the Duke would arrive. Rukia wondered the same, while sipping her fruit punch leisurely.

All the other girls were sipping some brandy, which Rukia totally disapproved. Soi Fong copied her and followed her advice. She felt proud while watching her pupil dismissing some dandies.

One. Two. Three of them.

The girl really knew her place. She was not rushing the things up. The same could be said about her. Rukia was patiently awaiting her time to act. It would be easier if the Duke was there in the Ballroom, but he was not and it was annoying her. Besides, worrying her. What if the man chose to enclose himself and did not appear on his own birthday party? How could she scour his room if he was not here, dancing, flirting and doing whatever he was supposed to do?

She sipped once again her drink and smirked a bit as she saw Soi Fong dismissing another dandy. Rukia was definitely glad her pupil had not drunk any alcoholic beverage. It was the wisest choice a woman could do, she thought while watching a man guiding a young lady to the gardens. Only God could possibly know what he would do to her. One couple. Two couples. She lost count of the others. Silly girls! What did they think? They would only ruin their reputation.

Then, she saw a very reddened girl entering the huge doors coming from the gardens. Right behind there was a tall man with a blue hair and huge smirk plastered on his face. Rukia sighed. Stupid, stupid girl! Did she not know Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez, besides being a very highly respected investigator was also one of the most famous miscreants of the entire London?

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a red-haired man approaching. A Baron. Renji Abarai, if she was not mistaken. One of the Duke's closest friends. He seemed interested on Soi Fong. Of course he was! It was not like someone could be interested on her.

The last dance had just finished and the musicians was about to start another when he stopped a few inches from both of them, still in a respectable distance. Soi Fong would have her first dance with her father and as for she… Well she would not dance at all. She had dropped her card dance as soon as they had given it to her. Rukia felt like laughing at that moment. It was not like she was a debut-lady to handle it. Sadly, she had to change her shoes to the dancing shoes. A kind of sneaker that allowed women to slide freely on the dance floor.

So when the baron asked her for a dance, Rukia gulped, unsure of what she could possibly answer.

She could dance well, true. But she was not expecting to be asked to.

"I'm truly sorry, my lord," she said, her voice low. "I'm here as Lady Kyouraku's chaperone. As you can see, I do not have a card dance."

"Well… it's not a problem. Does it bother you, Lord Kyouraku?"

Rukia could not say anything for the Marquis had approached and gave him the permission to take her. She also sawGrimmjow. His eyes fixed upon her and his smile growing bigger as he walked towards her slowly.

Before she could realize it, she was also craving for a dance and was entering her third dance (each one of them with a different man, of course), desperately trying to find Momo, who had already flagged three times for her to leave the ballroom and escape from Grimmjow. Rukia could discern that hunger look on his eyes. Arrogance written all over his face.

Nevertheless, only in her fourth dance, Rukia could breathe a little, for the Duke arrived at the Ballroom. The musicians stopped playing and the couples stopped dancing.

All eyes fell on him.

Paired with Kyouraku, Rukia watched the girls grow suddenly excited. Their faces were reddened and they looked like retarded people. She rolled her eyes. All of this because of a man. She had only seen his face once and a very long time ago. But he could not be this gorgeous, right?

It did not matter the minimum. Rukia was not there to flirt with him (though Rangiku really would love the idea).

He said nothing, different from the customary and signalized for the musicians to return playing their instruments. Soon, the soft music filled the ballroom, although all the guests were still glued on the floor.

If he would follow the rules, now he would thank the guests and then choose a girl to dance and only then, the other guests could join him.

Soi Fong was sweating. Poor girl! Rukia knew she was not interested on him as the other girls. She was a free thinker like Rukia herself, but no one could deny how exciting would be to have the first dance with a Duke.

If her life was not that turmoil since always and she had had a normal life, she would probably dream about dancing with a Lord.

The men stepped backwards, as well the matrons. Only the available ladiesformed a line to his appraisal. Rukia followed the matrons, but the Marquis pushed her slightly forward, causing her to whimper a little and Soi Fong to stare at his father questioningly.

Needless to say, the Duke turned his attention to her and she swallowed hard.

_Please, don't choose me._

Byakuya approached more, almost invading her personal space. He looked into her expressive eyes that were tinted with a midnight color due to the fear.

_Please, don't choose me. Please don't choose me._

Rukia averted her eyes. She knew it was not polite for a lady and he could take it as an offense. She knew she could spoil Soi Fong's night, but she could not help herself. When she looked up again, she felt captive of his orbs.

His eyes were of an intense, hazy gray color. It was like dark clouds in a raining day. The Duke kept looking into her eyes and for a brief moment he leisurely looked down... Rukia knew her cheeks were redder than all those stupid girls altogether.

_Please don't…_

Her heart was pounding wildly on her chest. She was out of breath. He _could not, never, under any circumstance,_ choose her. Rukia knew it. She had a task to perform. A very important one.

But in that very moment, while he was looking at her, his eyes locked on hers, Rukia felt nothing, but incapable of any coherent thought. What if he could read her mind and had discovered what she was going to do?

No! She could never let him know the truth. She had to avert her eyes from his. So, she did it. She averted her attention a little… _Just a little._Downwards…

He was truly handsome. Jet black hair adorned his chiseled face, ending on his large shoulders. His jawline was strong and his lips were thin, closed in a straight line. She looked upwards. His nose was perfect, as if it was molded by the Gods.

And then she stopped on his eyes. For a brief moment, she thought she had seen a sparkle of delight there, but soon it was gone. They were back to that dark color.

_Unreadable._

Suddenly she noticed he was all the time looking at her. As if inspecting her too. When he stopped on her pink lips, Rukia knew her whole body was on fire.

_Please…_

He reached out his hand…

**###**

The first thing Byakuya did as he reached the Ballroom was looking for her. Nevertheless, it was not needed for the musicians stopped playing and the whole room turned to see him.

Expectancy could be read on the ladies' faces as they stood in a straight line to his appraisal. The soft music was probably only increasing the feeling.

He looked briefly at each one of them, but took his time when he stopped in front of _that _petite girl.

No one could judge him for look at her so much, not after she had tried to dodge away. Byakuya watched her features carefully, mainly her soft tiny lips. They looked like ripe peaches. The most succulent fruit. If it was possible, he would surely taste them in front of all those guests.

But it was not.

Then he backed to her eyes and what he saw… Was she afraid of him? Why? It was not like they were strangers… Actually, far from it. They used to be very… _very close._

His eyes briefly met the amber ones of his friend. Renji had a _'what the heck!Just choose the girl!'_ look on his face.

And so did him. The Duke chose his _future wife_. Soi Fong Kyouraku.

**#**

Rukia's heart was still pounding like a wild horse on her chest. No matter it had passed more than two minutes after the Duke had chosen Soi Fong. Now, she was again sipping a fruit punch extremely attentive to any attempt of approaching from Momo.

Beside the matrons, Rukia was afraid of not being able to complete her mission. Grimmjow was right there. A few steps of distance, eyeing her like a fox look at his prey. He did not move close. The ballroom was almost silent, as everybody observed the would be very impolite of him approaching while the Duke was still in the first dance. Not that Grimmjow knew what _polite _meant or followed the rules.

Soon, the petite maid signalized to her again and this time, Rukia left the Marquis with the excuse of needing fresh air and followed her friend to the garden. He signalized to accompany her, in case she was not feeling well, but she did not allowed, since it was also impolite to leave the Ballroom.

She looked once again at Soi Fong and the Duke. Both of them seemed distracted on their own dance to notice her sneaking out the , of course, to see if Grimmjow was following her, but to her deep relief the dance had just finished and he was paired up with Lady Loly, ready to dance.

She sighed as she found herself in the hugest garden she had even seen. There were scrubs and some different flowers. And also a Japanese three called Sakura in full bloom.

Rukia was marveled. How could it be so beautiful even in the winter? The flower was the symbol of his family if she was not mistaken.

"Rukia…"

At hearing her friend's voice, Rukia turned on her heels and ran after her, stopping a few steps away. Both of them looked around to see if there was anyone closer when the maid took a pair golden keys from her pockets.

"Here you have it… Be careful."

"Thank you, Momo." As she had no pocket and had forgotten her purse with Kyouraku, she put the key in her small cleavage.

"If I may say you should go there now. He won't be back to his chambers anytime soon."

"Thank you once again, Momo."

"You can leave the keys there on his study. By the way why are you dressed this way?"

Rukia bit her lower lip trying to suppress another wave of anger. The hell that family! The Marquis said no one would dress that way near him. He was a womanizer after all. He would never allow her to dress like bag of potatoes (even though he still found her beautiful that way, of course). Soi Fong said she would never dress those clothes because she did not want to be the target of the noble's laughter and acidic comments. Her chaperone should be the well-dressed. The girl was really proud. The perfect match to that Duke.

"Momo, I can't explain it right now. We can talk later. I'll catch you soon."

"Okay. Don't worry about Grimmjow. I can take care of him."

"Thank you."

Turning on her heels, Rukia braced herself to decrease the chill on her stomach.

Somehow, it was not connected to the winter.

**###**

They were still dancing when Byakuya noticed the woman sneaking out of the Ballroom. He narrowed his eyes lightly, reproving her impolite action.

Quite soon, the music was over and some other couples joined them. When Soi Fong made her way to leave, he kept her. Byakuya had no intention to dance the whole night, or to make the girl believe he was interested on her. Honestly, he was just waiting _her _return.

What he could not understand was why Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez, who had just picked a girl to dance, left the Ballroom to follow her.

Ten minutes passed away. Not only two or three, but ten minutes. Byakuya was now talking with some guests while looking for her discretely. Nevertheless, she was nowhere to be found.

He left Renji and Ulquiorra alone without any warning and headed towards the garden. He barely noticed Soi Fong and the Marquis approaching him to talk, but did not stop to give them attention anyways.

When reached the balcony, he met a servant, who bowed dutifully. And a crazy idea crossed Byakuya's mind. One he was not sure that could work, but he would try even so.

**#**

Rukia could never thank Momo enough for Grimmjow had not met her in the garden or worse, followed her through the Mansion. Thanks to her friend she could manage to sneak into the Duke's study.

It was not a good thing, though. She thought to herself while groaning slightly in frustration. She had already looked everywhere, searched in every corner of that study but found nothing.

No leather notebook. No secret information. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

The fact that she could not switch the lights on was not of much help. Plus, it was quarter moon and she could barely open the curtains. The only thing she could see through the gap in the fabric was Grimmjow and Momo engaged in an argument.

_Damn Grimmjow! Why did he choose exactly that day to chase her out?_

_And fucking document!_

Desks, cabinets, false bottoms. Nothing. The leather notebook was nowhere in sight.

Closing the top drawer of his desk, Rukia turned on her heels and headed to his bedroom. She only hoped the Duke was still dancing.

**#**

She was there for a good amount of time and again was not able to find anything. She should have imagined. He would never keep such important information in such obvious places.

_You're the only stupid here, Rukia! _she thought to herself. Of course he was not the richest man being a fool.

Sighing, she wandered around his bedroom. It was different from what she had imagined. It was huge, very huge, but it seemed almost… _empty_ due to the lack of much furniture. Nonetheless, they were all functional as if any minimum object was there for a greatly calculated reason.

The first thing Rukia saw as she closed the double-faced doors behind her was an ottoman placed in the anteroom. The fireplace was huge and the logs burned shyly illuminating the space.

Crossing the next double-faced doors ― these, smaller than the first ones ―, she found his bedroom. There was a fireplace and a big, formidable balcony. But what stood out the most was the canopy bed, great and majestic. The silky red sheets wrapped the mattress in a beautiful arrangement.

She stepped forwards and passed through the glassy doors, sinking into the amazing view of his private garden.

Rukia was speechless. It was the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. The quarter moon illuminated timidly the balcony and she could barely see anything but shadows. She was so lost in thoughts she did not hear the sound of someone closing the first doors.

It was already time to leave. There was nothing to be found. Not there, at least. Perhaps in a coffer hidden behind a painting? She was not sure, but she could try in the next time?

Rukia gaped as she realized her thoughts and turned around to leave the room, but stopped instantly as she heard a few steps. It was slightly, almost soundless. Her violet eyes popped open as she caught a glimpse of the owner of these soft footsteps, as if it pertained to a thief.

Her heart raced and Rukia wondered if he could also listen to her heartbeats. It sounded like a noisy orchestra in her ears. Glancing back, she analyzed the distance between the balcony and the floor. If she jumped down would she be severely wounded?

Despite her thoughts, Rukia could do any movement as the shadow assumed the silhouette of the Duke and he walked towards her, closing the gap between them.

She looked down once again and was about to jump when he cupped her wrist and pulled her to him. Rukia gasped and held onto his shoulders to not fall. They were closer, more than before in the Ballroom. She could feel all his manly body pressed against hers. Feel the intensity on his slate-gray eyes and count all his eyelashes. Why was she not moving? What was she expecting? He would…

"Hisana, I missed you… so much…"

Rukia widened her eyes as she felt him getting closer and suddenly crashing his lips against hers passionately.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know it's pretty long for a first chapter, but what can I say? It's me!**

**I've always loved Regency Stories and some British authors as well… Jane Austen is just lovely. But no… I won't write anything like her (because I'm not even capable of that). And I also love Gaelen Foley (who isn't even British, but American who write Regency Novels). She inspires me a lot.**

**I know it's pretty odd to read about them without the customary Japanese suffixes and habits, which I try to put in all my stories, but I'll do the same with this one here. The order of the names also felt odd first, but then I got used. I hope you get used too ^^**

**This ByaRuki fanfic is old, very old… It's one of my first stories… But I only decided to write it last year. So yeah… The idea is old… The fanfic is already one year old. The name was Pretty Little Liar, but I changed the name because I changed a few things in the story as it became more complex. By the way, the name is still due to more than one single reason and I hope you like it and you find out the meaning.**

**Well… I've also 5 chapters written, which will give me time to write the next ones while I'm updating these. Hope you don't mind to wait one week to the next year. **

**If you feel like, leave me a review. It would make me very happy, but if you're mad because I didn't update any of my other stories, I can just say, I'm almost finish chapters 18 of DCYH and 10 of MM and I'll update them on December, okay?**

**Take care,**

**Velvetsins **


	2. The Unfortunate Proposal

**Hi xD**

**As promised, here I am to update the chapter 2 of The Duke's Lover: **The Unfortunate Proposal

**Firstly, I have to say I didn't expect 20 reviews in my very first chapter. I'm glad so many of you added this story to your favorites and follows and left me so kind reviews. (**vicky73, Yuukinna, L, Shanoko, LuciL06, ReckoningDay, loyalbyafan, arlingtonsteward, seras3791, Guest, PAMILA DE CASTRO, Guest, Red Cr0w, aria, DRUON, Rafaela05, silverqueen, Jasmine, Guest, ofelspring 44). **Thank you! You're amazing! I'll reply them tonight, after I'm back from my work.**

**Again, this chapter isn't ****betaed****, so you know… If you find many mistakes, let me know and I'll correct them asap.**

** is joining some words when I upload the chapter here. I'll check them all later, okz?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot.**

**Warnings: Will contain at times; violence, sexual, drugs and historical references, coarse language, and possibly OCCness.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2. The Unfortunate Proposal<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Dear Diary, have you ever been in a dead end?" <em>

Rukia opened the curtains of the living room and sighed. The sky was dull, gray… Just like her feelings. And… Sad. It was not like her. She was not sad, she could not even feel that way, because she was angry. But the storm forming far away was exactly like her.

Sighing, she closed the curtains and decided not to clean the windows. It would rain very soon and her work would be useless.

As useless as her visit to the Duke's house in the last day.

As useless as her reputation right now.

"Good morning prettiest maid of the Earth," Rangiku said entering the living room. She outstretched her arms and yawned.

Narrowing her eyes, Rukia wondered how her friend could sleep so well when she spent her night wide-awake.

"What the hell was it, Rangiku?" she yelled angrily, throwing the morning newspaper at her face.

"Huh?" the blond woman asked, catching the newspaper in the air. She sat on the couch and looked up at Rukia confused.

"You know, I hate you. What the he..."

"Ah… No one should ever hear such filth words so early in the morning!" she complained, opening the newspaper without even looking at its cover. "And I don't like reading newspaper."

"I am the one here who shouldn't look at your face!" the girl exclaimed in a low tone while rubbing her temples. A vain attempt to ease the terrible headache that haunted her since that very dawn. "Why didn't you tell me?" her tone increased an octave.

"What are you talking about?" Rangiku's voice was serious now.

"No one told me the Duke and Hisana… they were… well… they already knew each other…" Her last words came out as whispers.

"Huh? Do you mean lovers?"

"Read the news at once!" Rukia sat down in the couch placed in front of Rangiku and massaged her entire head. She could foresee a strong wave of migraine. "You will know how I ended up the night of our lives with my reputation destroyed."

Quickly, Rangiku opened the newspaper and went directly to the Social Column. Her eyes shot wide as she read what was written there. After a while, she exploded in a burst of laughter.

"Hahahaha. Really? I can't believe it! Wait let me read it once again!"

Rukia crossed her arms at her chest, her eyes burning with anger. She wanted to kill her friend!

Straightening in her sit position, Rangiku cleared her throat before reading it aloud.

_Recently arrived from the continent, Your Grace, the Duke Byakuya Kuchiki, as always made the hearts of the most beautiful ladies of our court beat accelerated last night at his birthday celebration. As customary, the Duke came late to the Ballroom, however, this time he chose a girl to the opening dance. The daughter of the Marquis of Foxworthy, Soi Fong Kyouraku was the lucky lady. At least she would be if it was not a mysterious lady to whom the Duke kept looking at during a good time._

Rukia shut her eyes fiercely as her friend finished the first big paragraph. She herself could not believe those words yet.

"WOW, Rukia! And there is more? Really?"

"Rangiku…" she started in a pleading tone. She really did not want to read that all over again. It was far too embarrassing.

_As he kept Lady Kyouraku for a second dance, all the other ladies started dreaming of dancing with the Duke, since he usually does not dance at any prom he attends to. Each one of them was expectantly waiting their time and when the second dance was finished, they were probably trembling in excitement. Nevertheless, the magic moment faded away as soon as the Duke left the dance floor and joined some of his friends. The conversation did not last too much, for soon he left the Ballroom and a surprised Lady Kyouraku behind, walking to his garden._

Rangiku took a break, looked at Rukia's face and pouted a little at seeing her features contorted into a grimace.

"It's getting interesting, Rukia! I can't understand why you are so upset! I'd give my soul away to be in your skin right now!"

"You… would… not…" She whispered under her breath.

The buxom woman just ignored her and continued reading while sipping some tea.

_With such action, the Duke broke all the ladies' hearts, which was not a surprise at all. He is not known as heartless for being attentive with women. The Duke left on his own birthday celebration. The ladies were inconsolable! But it was not the most interesting happening of the whole night. The Duke's goddaughter woke up at the end of the Ball and found the missing Duke at his chambers. The biggest surprise, however, was that he was not alone, but in the companion of the same young lady he analyzed so much in the Ballroom. Needless to say, they were found in a very romantic way, lying on his silky red sheets. The big question is who is this mysterious woman? What did she do to our preferred cold bachelor? Is she going to be the next duch…"_

"STOP!" Rukia yelled.

"WOW! You had a very hectic night, Rukia." Rangiku eyed her, malice printed on her blue eyes.

"Huh! It wasn't my fault! I just sneaked into his chambers and was looking for… Wait!" She pointed a finger at Rangiku's face. "I don't have to explain myself! Tell me right now why you didn't tell me they knew each other."

"I assume you read Lady Lisa's column, maid." Rangiku replied emphasizing to the word _maid._

Rukia frowned a bit. Why the hell would she read that defaming column? The woman used to badmouth everything and everyone! Her eyes grew bigger as saucers as she caught the real meaning behind those simple words.

Shaking her head, she sighed a little louder. Needless to say, her reputation was already damaged. Nothing could make it worse.

"That's why he kept eyeing you all the time."

"How could I imagine it?"

Matsumoto was really surprised. She opened her mouth in disbelief. Jesus! It was a joke, right? Rukia could not be so innocent.

"Rukia, you are not a child anymore. And he is... he is a... man," she started but suddenly stopped. "Wait. Did you not know Hisana was a prostitute before she became an actress?"

"Yes, but…"

How could she know Hisana was the Duke's… _lover?_

"Wait…" A bright smilegarnished the buxom woman's features. "I thought you didn't care about love. Are you afraid of falling for him?"

"What do you mean..."

"You know, he is a handsome man and you can find yourself someday on his bed _again_ and this time there won't be anyone to stop him... and... you know..." She then squealed in excitement. "Oh my God, I can't believe my friend and a Duke!"

She frowned trying to understand Rangiku's words. When she noticed the dirty game her friend was playing, the petite woman clenched her fists to control her anger.

"I'm not single! You know it!"

Rangiku bit her bottom lip to struggle a loud laugh. It seemed difficult, though.

"I don't think he loves you or vice-versa."

Rukia looked away as her _love situation_ was mentioned. It still hurt. It was not exactly nice to know that your groom was in love with another woman.

"It's not a matter of love, but respect."

Yes. That was it. There was no love between them, but there was respect and respect meant everything.

"It doesn't matter. He's far from here now. He's…" She did not mention the situation, afraid of someone hearing them. "And it ended yesterday. Did you get the notebook, right?"

"Hm…" Rukia bit her lower lip. "No. I couldn't find it."

"WHAT?"

"Shhhhhh." Rukia put a finger on Rangiku's lips. "Do not scream! Do you want to warn the entire city?"

"I'm sorry, Rukia, I was just caught off guard. But well… What were you doing on his chambers if the notebook wasn't there?"

"Well…"

Rukia felt her cheeks growing warm at the mere remembrance of that embarrassing moment. She knew she was blushing hardly... _Again._

She was truly ready to jump down that balcony, but he pinned her against his body and crashed his lips against hers. Yes! He kissed her! And it was not the kind of kiss she used to share with her groom. It was passionate, intense and hot. The kind of caress that only lovers make to one another.

The mere remembrance of his lips touching hers and his warm tongue seeking entrance to slide inside her mouth made her legs weak.

Gosh! Rukia could still remember how he deepened the kiss, taking advantage that she was gaping, to sneak his hot tongue inside her mouth to entangle it on slowly. Surprised, she did not know what she should do to make him stop. Her protests died on his mouth. His ragged breath mixed with hers as he pulled her close, pinning her body against his in a tight embrace. Rukia gasped into his mouth and pressed her hands on his shoulders, trying to stand upright as her legs seemed melted.

It was only when she felt him breaking the kiss and moving his lips to her neck that she realized what she had done.

"Rukia," Matsumoto called pulling her from the reverie. "Are you okay?"

"No. I'm not. My head is aching. It feels like exploding," she answered holding her temples and massaging it slowly.

"I didn't… But since you mentioned it… Did you get your pills?" Her tone was filled with concern. "I mean… it's been a long since you—

"I was there because once it was not in his study I thought it could be in his bedroom. But when I was leaving, he arrived and kissed me." Rukia cut her off. "And don't worry about my headache. You know it's just temporary. I'll be better soon."

Yeah. There was no need for everybody to suddenly get concerned about her heath. That pain was just… _Normal._ She was used to it and she knew it would go away. At least that was what she was expecting.

"Did he fucking kiss you?"

"Who is speaking like a street rat now?"

"Well… I can't hide my excitement! You were kissed by the bloody gorgeous Duke, Byakuya Kuchiki! But well… I'm sorry. You can continue. What have you done?"

That was it.

The first thing she did as she regained her senses was to slap him across the face and retreat some steps back. Shock could be read all over his features and the same could be told about her as she saw the form of her small hand perfectly designed on his face.

Then he said that name again.

_Hisana…_

And asked why she had done it. Of course, at this point she was no longer breathing and when she woke up, the mess was done.

"I slapped him and fainted."

"Hahahaaha." Rangiku's loud laughter echoed in the room. "Did you simulate a faint?"

"No!" She was indignant. She was totally against this kind of _feminine thing. _"I fainted. I really fainted."

"Aaaah… I understand. Do you think we should call the Doctor?"

"No, I am fine. Really."

"And what happened then? I mean, when you woke up…"

This question made Rukia blush once again. Not because of what he was doing. She knew he was not doing it on purpose, but because he wanted to help her. However, when she woke up, her eyes still dizzy and her head spinning around, his hands were exactly… _on her cleavage._

It would be completely fine, once he was just loosening her corset. Nevertheless, in that moment, in that exactly fucking moment, the door swung open and a child called him.

_Uncle Byakuya… _She could pronounce the words with the same intonation the hellish child. Then she screamed happily _Uncle Byakuya finally got a girlfriend! _Of course, her scream attracted a few guests to the room.

If she had known there would be such fuss, she would gladly pretend she was still passed out, but she supported herself on elbows, causing her face to stay a few inches far from his. Needless to say, in the darkened space, it seemed she was kissing him.

The damage was done.

"Well… He was trying to help me with the corset, but his niece arrived and screamed for the entire Kingdom to hear that I was his new girlfriend."

"Well… She could have said _his whore. _Noble children know quite early that their dads have another woman apart from their moms. And... just to let you know, The Duke doesn't have any brother, so the girl is not his niece. She's his goddaughter."

"You are not making me feel better. And just to let you know, I do not care if the hellish kid is his niece or his goddaughter."

Rangiku waved her hand and rolled her eyes. Then, with a bright smile she clapped her hands and asked with a girlish voice.

"How is his kiss? Does he kiss well? Is he good? Tell me! Tell me!"

"I tell you my reputation is damaged and you ask me if I liked his kiss? What a good friend you are!"

"I thought you did not care about it."

"I don't." She sighed and fell on the couch, covering her face with a cushion. "But I would be better if I could pass unnoticed by everybody in the streets."

"Well… That's the price for—

She was cut midst of her sentence when Barragan entered the room.

Both of them quickly got up and bowed dutifully.

"Lord Barragan!" They chanted in unison.

"Where is the notebook?"

"It is with…" Rangiku started, but Rukia placed her right hand on her mouth. She did not need any protection.

"Actually, my lord," She sighed. "I couldn't find it." She gave the same answer she had given minutes ago to her friend.

"Then you will back today there and you will find it." He said nonchalantly and turned on his heels to leave them alone.

"No. I won't."

"What?" Rangiku exclaimed, surprised. Barragan merely looked at her over his shoulder.

"I won't see that perverted man again. Let alone sneak into his bedroom!"

No. She would not. How could she? How could she handle such a situation? She had a groom!

Rukia closed her eyes when Ichigo's face crossed her mind. No. There was no way she could do it.

"We need this notebook, Rukia."

"My lord, I know, but I… I beg you…"

"You just didn't find the notebook because it wasn't on his chambers right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Become his lover."

"W-WHAT?" Rukia and Rangiku asked in unison.

"I read the newspaper this morning. He messed up your reputation and if I really know him, he will propose you soon. Just accept it."

"But I…"

"My lord… I don't think Ichigo would approve it."

Rukia opened her mouth surprised, but no sound came out. Rangiku was really helping her?

"Ichigo has no word in this case. He was in such a mess because of him."

"Hey! It's not true! He tried his best to help us! It was not his fault if they caught him!"

Barragan looked deeply into her eyes and opened his mouth about to say something, but stopped as Rangiku put her finger on her plump lips and signalized to him keep quiet. Closing his mouth, he turned on his heels and left the room, his last words sending a chill up Rukia's spine.

"Things won't be that way."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Rangiku stood up and hugged Rukia, tucking her head into her big breasts. The petite woman felt stifled and waved her hand, asking for freedom, but the blond one did not allow her go, pulling her even closer instead.

"Don't worry my poor thing. Things will get better. You'll see!"

Rukia did not reply Rangiku's enthusiastic answer, but she had the feeling that things would not be as easy as they thought ― and she wanted.

**###**

_She was not Hisana…_

_Even though they looked so much alike, that woman was not Hisana. _

_She was not Hisana…_

"My lord?" an old man called him in an inquiringly tone. Byakuya snapped back from his reverie and focused his attention on what his business partner was saying. "Do you find such terms suitable?"

He nodded eyeing the five men sitting around him. They were discussing about his new ship since very early in that morning. They were very excited with the mere idea of delivering the vessel before the first planned date. He was content as well, but he could not stay focused in such matter when…

"Your Grace," one of them called him again, causing Byakuya to scold himself mentally for being so distracted. "Have you chosen a name for your steamboat?"

He looked at them blankly. _Name?_ Then he recalled he had not chosen one yet.

"No."

"If I may suggest you…" he started, but stopped unsure. When Byakuya nodded his approval, he continued, "My lord… Why not the name of your future Duchess? It may bring luck to your business and bless the…"

Byakuya was no longer listening to the man. Wife? What wife? He did not… _Right._ The note he received from Yoruichi in the breakfast. And of course there was The Times. Why in the whole Earth did he forget to read the newspaper? Maybe because he already knew that he would not like what was written there even if subconsciously.

Focusing his attention on the men again, he cut his partner off on his blessing marriage speech.

"This meeting is over."

Speechless, all of them stared at him blankly. None could understand such shift on his humor but did not complain nonetheless. Silently, they left the Duke alone, who started reading the agreement he needed to approve. He had many decisions to make and deal with…

To be honest, Byakuya was still trying to understand what happened last night in his bedroom. His mind was still clouded every time he remembered her shocked face and her shaky and indignant voice as she…

"Your Grace…" Another voice brought him from the land of his thoughts. It was slightly unsure. "What should I do?"

Good. The maid. He had sent his partnerships away without even remembering the breakfast he had ordered earlier.

"You may…"

"Leave it here, sweetheart." A mocking voice echoed in the study room.

The raven-haired man averted his eyes from the document and met brilliant teeth in front of his face. The blond man waved and then stretched his long legs over the chair beside the one he was sitting on. He then threw a magazine at Byakuya and the current newspaper, who merely looked at it but kept quiet nonetheless.

"Go ahead. Read it." He could not hide his smile. It irritated Byakuya to no end. "It's all about your future wife, or should I use Lisa's words '_Ardent Lover'?"_

No word left the Duke's lips. His face also remained the same, even though one could say he was more than annoyed with Shinji's mischievous smile.

He looked quickly at the magazine. But did not take his time to read it thoroughly. A few words as _Ardent Lover, suspicious position, finally getting along with a woman _were sufficient to make him close it and stop the reading.

"Your…" the maid opened her mouth again. She was still glued in place looking at both of them not knowing what to do.

"You may leave," Byakuya cut her off without looking at her.

"Yes, Your Grace…" She bowed dutifully and pulled the trolley with her.

"Love…" Shinji called. His tone was sweet and fake. "You may leave the breakfast here." And by slapping her round ass, he cupped a strawberry and shoved it into his mouth. The maid flushed madly. "And also…" He winked maliciously. "Bring some brandy. Your Grace and I are… celebrating a little bit."

"Do not do it," Byakuya warned the maid in a very low tone. "And take the trolley with you."

No extra words were needed for her to follow his order. When she closed the door, Byakuya finally looked at Shinji in a very disapproving way, but did not voice his opinion.

"Oh come on, Byakuya! I thought your humor would be better after spending the whole night fucking a girl."

Byakuya closed his eyes briefly at the world _fuck. _Shinji and his filth mouth irritated him to no end. Not to mention his great ability to sleep with all his servants.

Being a Duke and businessman, Byakuya needed a trustworthy secretary, or assistant, and Shinji, being his childhood friend and someone he trusted, was a good choice for the job.

After they returned from the war, Shinji knew his brother had spent the small amount of money he received from their father, a baronet. Unemployed and with a family to sustain, Byakuya chose him to be his assistant.

He was starting to regret his decision.

"What?" He stopped the strawberry a few inches from his mouth. "Didn't you sleep with her?" He then chewed the fruit and spoke while eating. "Really, man? I feel sorry for you now."

"It seems you have not read The Times yet."

"Well… I stayed with Madam Lisa's version." He smirked maliciously. "Now tell me who is the unfortunate girl?"

Byakuya did not reply, looking back at his document. He was not reading it, however. The Duke was far more entranced on his memories of last night.

At first, right after the mind-blowing kiss, he was still thinking she was Hisana. That was when she told him her name. It did not come alone, but with a strong slap on his left cheek.

"_Hisana?"_

"_Hisana? I am not Hisana!" _She was breathing heavily. _"Lady Hisana is dead! I am Rukia, you pervert!"_

_He was dumbfounded. _

_Hisana was dead._

_No…_

_Hisana could not be dead. She was perfectly fine just the time before he left to the continent. How could this be another woman and not her?_

_They were simply identical._

_He stepped back and stared at her under the light the quarter moon provided him through the gray clouds. _

_No…_

_They were not identical. Not at all._

_Her eyes were violet, not midnight blue. Her bang was soft and less stubborn than Hisana's. Her lips were plump and soft. Her kiss shy and inexperienced._

_Then… If she was not Hisana, what was she doing in his bedroom?_

_Byakuya asked it. His voice was colder than usual. His face, unreadable. Her answer did not come, as her cheeks grew paler and she supported herself on the balcony sill. _

"_Answer me."_

_She remained silent and closed her eyes. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she gasped for air in middle of her spitting words._

"_My Lord… I think I am…" _

_And she fainted._

_Before she could fall to the floor, Byakuya pulled her to his arms and checked her pulse point. Weak. Her breath was just as evenly as if she was merely sleeping. Actually, she was barely breathing._

_Too far annoyed, Byakuya took her on his arms and placed her on his bed, executing the first idea that crossed his mind: tear her silky dress apart and loosen her corset. Placing one leg right beside of her hip, he worked on the piece of cloth when the door was subtle opened and someone entered the room._

"_Uncle Byakuya, I…"_

"Her name is Rukia," he broke from his reverie all of sudden.

"Hein? Rukia?" He touched his chin, pensively. "It's not a very common name."

"No. It is not," Byakuya replied. Indeed, he did not remember of seeing this name anywhere before. It was the first time he heard it and it was not a very suitable situation.

"And what are you going to do?" Shinji asked, finally sitting in a recommendable position. "I mean… Nothing happened between you and the girl, but everybody in London is talking about it right now. And it's not really a good thing for your or hers reputation."

Byakuya did not reply as soon as Hirako closed his mouth. He took his time and signed at the end of some papers, his assistant thought that was one of his agreements, and put it with some money inside an envelope.

After a few seconds in silence, Byakuya handed the envelope to him and rose up, decided to leave his study room.

"Make her the future Duchess."

**###**

The floor was almost completely cleaned when the latch sounded loudly. Rukia wiped her forehead and went to open the door. It was not needed though for Pesche did it first.

While she twisted the cloth, she would hear Pesche and somebody she could not see from where she was, talking in a low tone. Curiosity took over her, but Rukia merely continued her work. Whoever was there, was none of her business.

"Do you want some water?" She heard Pesche closing the door. His voice was excited and she could hear his laugh even before she could see his face.

Still facing the floor, she did not see who their guest was, but his voice sounded a little too familiar.

"Yeah, man! I'm thir—Rukia? Is that you? Really?"

At hearing her name, the petite maid looked up at two men and furrowed her brows. Of course it was her! As far as she was concerned, there was no other Rukia in the entire London, at least where she lived and also they knew each other. Why was he so surprised?

"Hm… I will get the water. Wait here, Lord Hirako," Pesche pointed at the internal chambers, leaving the entrance hall.

"Well…" Rukia placed the cloth back in the water bucket. "I can't see any other Rukia here, can you?"

Shinji opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He then smiled briefly and shook his head.

"Then the great Duke is screwed and that's the end of an unusual fairy tale…"

"Has someone here said the word Duke?" Rangiku came from the kitchen with his water. Pesche followed her, placing one hand on his forehead. Shinji did not need more to understand it would be a hell of a topic to discuss.

"Yes…" He smiled and winked at Rangiku, before swallowing the water. "I said it and I'm here at his request. Thank you, beautiful."

"Not my business…" Rukia picked up the water bucket and the squeegee, ready to leave the room.

"Exactly your business…" Pesche started.

"I am here to talk to you because he asked me to," Shinji completed.

"Did he say he would propose to her? Will he come here and kneel in front of her and ask our beautiful maid to be the mother of his children?" Rangiku asked clapping her hands happily.

Rukia closed her eyes. No. Impossible.

"Yes… and no." He laughed a little bit. Nervousness could be read on his face. "Not like this, but yes. He wants to purpose."

"What?" Rukia furrowed her brows even more. "Why?"

"Why? Is that really a question?" Her buxom friend crossed her arms at her chest indignantly. "He has ruined your reputation and…"

Rukia merely dismissed her lecture with one hand.

"Who cares about my reputation? Anyway, I am nothing and as soon as these people find another topic to make such a fuss about I will be nothing again. I am leaving."

"Rukiaaaaa…" Pesche called her name in an annoying tone. It caused the girl to sigh heavily and move her shoulders up and down, before looking at him sideways. "Listen to him, dear. For real."

"Right," she finally conceded, placing the cleaning utensils back on the floor.

"Well… To be honest…"

"You are always honest, Shinji."

He rolled his eyes. Would she listen to him or what?

"I am a bit surprised it's you. I mean… You and Byakuya?"

"Firstly, there is no Byakuya and me. Secondly, why are you so surprised? I was there as Lady Kyouraku's chaperone."

She narrowed her eyes briefly at seeing a big and mischievous smile outlining his lips.

"So why were you in his bedroom?"

Rangiku and Pesche exchanged brief and concerned glances that did not go unnoticed by Shinji, but that was not mentioned by him nonetheless.

"I was doing Momo's a favor. Just ask her," she replied as calmly as possible.

"Really?" His smile was big than ever. "According to the news you were almost naked and happily lying on his silky red sheets."

His commentary caused Rukia's cheeks to grow completely warm and red. She could barely believe what she was hearing.

"It did not happen that way!"

"You see, but that's how the entire London sees you now."

"I said I don't care."

"But the Duke cares. That's what I am saying," he retorted quickly and handed out a small envelope to her. "Here. Take it."

Frowning, Rukia looked at the golden envelope with a ducal sealing wax in the opening. It was a little bit plump, probably filled with something. Was it a letter? Or…

Curious, she opened it and took a brief look at its content. A good amount of pounds was placed there. Her jaw fell down. She could not believe her own eyes.

Looking at Rangiku and Pesche, she saw their friends with their faces covered, probably as much as perplexed as she was.

"What is it?" Rukia asked in a low tone.

"Well… I did not read, but I think it's to help you to de…" He stopped in the middle of his sentence, knowing that he had said something wrong. "Well… Listen, there is a letter together. Read it and you will know…"

"No! Listen you!" Rukia approached him, swinging the envelope angrily in her right hand. "I will tell you exactly what you have to say to your arrogant Duke! And please, listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat myself!"

Shinji retreated two steps back, swallowing hard. Although he had an idea of what she would say, he did not like the idea of telling it to Byakuya later not even the tiniest bit.

**###**

A droplet of sweat ran down the Duke's chest when his sword clashed against his servant's. Shusuke stepped back and went against his master once again.

The training room was filled with the sounds of swords clashing, feet moving from one place to another in a deadly dance. The smell of sweat filled the air and _fear…_ For the first time, Shusuke retreated, afraid of cutting his master, but ended with Byakuya's blade on his throat nonetheless.

"I said to fight." He retreated, pointing his sword down.

"I am deeply sorry, Your Grace," the servant said, bowing his head.

"Stressed huh?" Shinji's voice echoed in the training room. Byakuya did not turn to see him, but knew his assistant was smiling widely.

"Leave," he said coolly, watching his servant placing the sword in a box and closing the door.

"Hey, what is this hellish face?" Shinji asked, looking back at the closed door.

Byakuya gave him no response, causing the blond man to stop smiling and look at him concerned. He picked up the sword and analyzed it shining under the dull light entering through the wide windows.

"Get it." He threw a silver glossy razor at him and watched as the man tried to catch it without hurting himself.

"Are you kidding me?" Shinji raised an eyebrow. "No protection?"

"Have you ever seen anyone wining a war with fake swords?"

"Are we at war? Again?"

No word came out from the raven-haired man as he merely went against his assistant. Shinji easily blocked the first attack. A few more followed the first, making the room get filled again with sounds of blade clashing against blade. Their movements almost looked like a dance, not as deadly as it seemed when he first entered the room, but still footwork was combined with dodges and advances. Shinji had no time to ask anything and when he tried, he almost got cut by Byakuya's sword.

Retreating, the Duke pointed his weapon down.

"What's wrong with you? You almost made me lose my head."

As expected, he received no apology. Byakuya merely walked away and filled a glass with water. Shinji, in turn, grabbed the towel and dried his forehead, while waiting an answer that did not come.

"What do you mean by war?"

"Love is dead."

It seemed everybody chose that few months to suddenly die. His grandfather, Hisana and now Love.

"Oh…" He closed his mouth, speechless. It took a moment or so for him to be able to say anything. "It explains a lot…

…Did they kill him?"

A nod. That was all the response he got. Shinji sighed. The only man who could help them was dead.

"Good. They fucking killed him. Now we are fucked up."

Byakuya made no objections to Shinji's choice of words. He was right. They were _completely _fucked up_. _The war was over, but France and England were not in good terms yet and once they were investigating crimes of war, he doubt it would be anytime soon.

Love was just spying for them, once the Duke could not do it himself. Locked inside the New Gate prison, he was, together with Hanatarou, responsible for delivering weekly reports.

Well… He would not do it anymore.

"And now?"

"I will solve it by myself."

"How?" Shinji asked while swallowing water.

"It is none of your business."

"Oookay, Your Grace." Shinji shut his mouth. He knew that Byakuya was not acting this way because of him, but because he did not trust his own servants.

No one could ever blame him. The whole society knew Love was a filth bastard. None of them knew he was a soldier working for the Crown.

Someone had betrayed the Duke.

That was serious. On Shinji's words: _fucking serious._

"And she?"

A smile blossomed on the blond man's lips.

"I think you should marry Lady Soi Fong."

Still quiet, Byakuya shot his coldest glare.

"You really like the difficult things." Shinji sighed and sat down on the big wooden table placed near the wall.

"Explain yourself."

"Well…" He cupped his own chin. "She said no."

"No?" Byakuya was surprised, though his voice and expression remained emotionless.

"Well… She used exactly these words: '_You tell that arrogant Duke that I am not interested in him. Besides, if that pervert wants me as his wife he should come here and ask it himself, instead of sending a servant'._ You see, Byakuya, she called me servant. A fucking servant!"

If Byakuya were inclined to smiles, he would have smiled at her courage and poisoned words towards Shinji. The woman was really bold. However, she called him arrogant! What the hell did she still want from him? Tons of jewelry and an announcement in The Times?

Every and any woman in that court would gladly accept his proposal. Rather: they would kill themselves to be in her place. Did she want more?

"Have you given her the money?"

"Oh, of course." Shinji placed the envelope on the table. It was filled and closed. Byakuya narrowed his eyes. Was this quantity insufficient to her? Before his silence, the blond man smiled widely and continued, "Well… If you want, I can tell you in what place she said you should put it."

The blond man watched Byakuya's expression carefully. Though his emotionless face did not betray him, Shinji knew he was shocked. Chuckling a bit, he swallowed some water before continuing.

"Of course she has never said such words. Rukia is a lady after all. But she did say to throw it at your face."

He narrowed his eyes a bit more. _Throw his money at his face… _Right. He was trying to kindly compensate her for ruining her reputation and she was acting childishly towards him.

God had sent him a hell of a wife.

"Wow man, you should know better the kind of woman you carry to your bed. And if I may say, Rukia should have stayed far away from yours."

"Do you know her?"

"Yeah… She's a maid. Actually, a preceptor. Momo's friend. If you did not know she was here yesterday as Soi Fong's gentlewoman."

Byakuya was silent. He was far too stunned with this amount of information. Of course he did not know she was there as Soi Fong's chaperone. How could he? She was finely dressed and was in line to his appraisal and mainly he mistook her for…

"Momo said she was doing her a favor when she came to your bedroom, but I don't think so."

Silence was the only response he got. But Byakuya believed the same. She was actually doing something else he could not figure until the present moment.

"Rukia is not this kind of girl. Anything she does, she does not keep secrets. I mean… I bet she was hiding from somebody..."

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez."

"Huh? How do you know?"

He recalled how the man looked at her the whole night and how she seemed to want to escape from him.

"Does he continue to stalk her?" He asked touching his chin, but at getting no response from Byakuya, he hurried to explain. "Ah, you were out when it happened. A few years ago, he arrived at _Brooks's_ with his nose broken. Rukia beat his ass after he tried to hm… force her… You know, he was drunk."

Yes. He knew. It sound exactly like something Grimmjow would do. It was not the first time he was beaten by someone after trying to spend his night with any random girl in the streets.

"Hm… I have to go. I have lots of things to solve on New Gate," Shinji said as he rose up from his seat. He headed to the door, but stopped halfway and looked at the Duke over his shoulder. "Do you know how they killed him?"

"His heart raced. He could not breathe. Poison," Byakuya said nonchalantly.

"How do you know?"

"I do not."

"Well… Grimm will know." He placed his hand on the doorknob. "Can I take one of your horses?"

"You may take Shuuhei with you."

"Ah… Better no. You know, I don't like your coachman. He is weird." He then smiled briefly. "And to be honest, it would be awkward to walk around with a man with a 69 tattoo on his cheek. I mean… People will talk and I like how girls think I am completely masculine."

_Neither do I, _Byakuya thought to himself as Shinji's laugh died in the corridor and he was left alone in the silence of his training room.

**###**

Rukia flipped her dresses one by one, choosing one to wear that night. By her side, Rangiku tried to reason with her.

"Think closely, Rukia… If you marry him, you will have tons of dresses to wear. Have you thought about it? I mean… You can wear anything you want and people will follow you… You will become a symbol."

"I am engaged. Can't all of you understand it?"

She rolled her eyes. She did not want to become a duchess. A symbol or whatever Rangiku dreamed of. Rukia merely wanted to get that notebook, set Ichigo free and live her life with him. Was it so difficult to understand?

Getting the dull dress she wanted to wear in the previous night, she placed it right beside her bed. That night she would accompany Lady Mashiro at Lady and Lord Schiffer's Ball.

"Yes, we can… But…"

"No buts, Rangiku. He tried to buy me with his money."

"You can't know," she pleaded. "Perhaps she was trying to compensate you for last night."

"You heard Shinji!"

"Shinji knows nothing, darling! You know it," she tried. "I mean if not for the dresses for his good looks?" She laughed. "Seriously. You should just… Just give it a thought."

"Don't listen to her, Rukia," Pesche stuck his tongue out. "But think about Ichigo… If you marry the Duke and find the notebook, they will free him. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Good, and what do I do then? Get divorced to marry him? Do you think he would still want me if I marry another man?"

"Well… You could try."

"No way. I will get this notebook, but I won't marry him. I can't…"

"That's the easiest way to free Ichigo, Rukia. That's what we are saying. You alone is weak, but if you have a Duke wit— Rangiku's voice was muffled by a sonorous noise.

Silence filled the bedroom. Then, a sound that was like a slap echoed in the room. _Nell… _All of them exchanged worried glances. They could hear their friend gasping.

Alarmed, Rukia grabbed her skirt and left the room. With Rangiku and Pesche following her, she went downstairs and opened the double doors of the living room quickly just to find the face of the turquoise-haired girl reddened.

The Count Gilga and Nelliel were arguing in a very disrespectful way. He was handling a piece of paper, which seemed to be a letter, and screaming indecorously at her. Meanwhile, she was retreating two steps back, touching her warm face.

Rukia gaped. Did he have… the audacity to...? To hit her? What the hell was happening there?

"What is it? A letter from your lover, you fucking bitch!"

"Please, let me explain," Nelliel begged with her soft crying voice. "You're mad at me without any reason."

"Are you underestimating me, whore?"

Rukia widened her eyes as he said the word _whore._ Nelliel gasped, wiping her tears away. She was still holding her face and Rukia could affirm she was in pain. How did he dare to touch her? He had treated her like a piece of trash!

"Why are you crying? I'm the only one hurt here."

Then, Rukia noticed his reddish face. Did Nelliel punch him? Did she have the courage to do it?

"Look at my face. I have never been hit by a woman before. Who do you think you are? You hurt me! Rather: you hurt my honor and stained my name!" He said and his anger was almost palpable. She moved frontward but stopped when she saw Nelliel clenching her fists and hissing venomously.

"What honor? You don't have one."

The fury took control of all his body and before he could realize it, he raised his hand to hit Nelliel's delicate face. Nevertheless, it found another surface. Rukia's hand, precisely.

"What do you think you are doing? Have you lost your mind, Count?"

Rukia asked while still holding his right hand. Nelliel was behind her and her mouth was opened as she glanced at them in shock.

"What do you think you are doing, girl?"

"Protecting my friend!"

"Protecting from whom? You should protect yourself from her poison. Have you seen it?" He asked shaking the paper. Rukia could recognize Ichigo's horrible calligraphy. "That whore has been receiving amounts of it from your groom! What do you think now?"

Rukia glanced back and found the big beautiful brown eyes from her friend wet. By Nell's expression she knew it was true. Nnoitra was being sincere and it hurt her. It was painful to know that during all those months, Ichigo was exchanging letters with Nell, not her. She had been so worried about him and...

No. Nell was her friend and no matter what Nnoitra had no right to hurt her. To make her feel bad.

"Tell her, Nelliel. Tell her the truth."

"I'm sorry, Rukia! Ichigo sent me that message because he was worried about you and-"

"You fucking bitch, why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying! Rukia I..."

"I don't care," Rukia interrupted them. "You hurt her and I won't let you..."

"Get out of my way, little bitch," he said and pushed her aside abruptly, making her stagger over her shoes. Furiously, he tried to reach Nelliel, but quickly Rukia grabbed his right arm and twisted it back.

Nnoitra groaned in anger and tried to pull away, but Rukia used her foot to make him kneel. Her high heels were placed in the middle of his shoulder blades.

"You will not touch her," she said, pronouncing each word slowly, trying to make her point as clear as possible.

Nnoitra tried to use his left arm effortlessly. He felt breathless as she pressed the tip of her shoes in his flesh and needed to use his arm to prevent himself from falling to the floor. He could feel her contorting his right arm until it almost reached his neck.

"If you try or even think of hurt her again I will kill you."

"Rukia!" Nelliel cried out. "Please don't break his arm!"

"This man hurt you and you still want to protect him!" she said and forced Nnoitra's arm a little bit.

"I'm not protecting him. I'm protecting you. He doesn't worth it."

The Count gritted his teeth, cursing both under his breath.

"Fucking bitches!"

"I did not hear your apology, my noble lord."

Rukia was still holding his arm tightly. He looked for another way to free himself, but she gave him no opportunity.

"Free him, Rukia. I don't want to see you hurt later."

"Do as the bitch commanded," he said ironically. "Or you will get hurt after."

"I'm still deaf for your sick words, my lord. Please let's try again."

"Let me out and I..."

"Promise you won't hurt her anymore."

"I won't."

"Say that you promise."

"Never."

"Can I break your arm then?" she asked while contorting it even more, now in a very harsh way until it made a sonorous crack.

"No, please!" he begged, his tone low and full of pain. "Damn bitch. I won't hurt her and that's all. I won't promise. Now, let me out."

"Good, good boy," she said as she loosened her tight over his arm.

From his kneeling position, Nnoitra could not help but feel ashamed. He had been beaten by a woman. A petite woman.

_That whore!_

"Touch me again and I'll kill you," he hissed angrily.

"Done. And I make mine your words. If you touch her again I'll kill you."

But Nnoitra did not hear her words and as soon as he stood up, he pulled Nelliel away, saying he did not need her help. He closed the gap between him and Rukia, preventing her to leave the room and grabbed her left arm, squeezing it a bit. She panted.

"You bitch! Do not never ever try to shame me again," he said, nailing the flesh of her arm. "Are we agreed?"

He knew he would leave her arm sore and a bright, mischievous smile graced his lips. He grabbed her other arm and did the same, tightening as hard as he could. He saw, with a sick satisfaction, Rukia biting her bottom lip and struggling a sonorous gasp. He knew she was about to send him to hell when she smiled a bit and surprised him, "Of course my lord."

"Good, good girl," He said, almost sad for having no reason to hurt her anymore. He shook her hard and pushed her back, this time making sure she would fall to the ground noisily. Then, thoroughly satisfied, he left the house with a naughty smile gracing his lips.

**###**

Byakuya placed the last document inside a drawer when he saw a fine and golden calligraphy. Looking carefully, he quickly identified it as an invitation for a Ball.

That night, the Countess of Middlesex, Orihime Schiffer would promote a Ball in her house. The last one before retiring to her country house. And of course to make a last attempt to get a good match for her friend and protected, Tatsuki Arizawa, who was still single.

Byakuya admitted she was not ugly. Actually, she was beautiful and he found quite funny and interesting her strong behavior.

She was twenty and single. Certainly, it was scandalous for her father and family, but the petite woman seemed not to care. She said once, _"I'm not looking for a husband to control my life, but for a man who can help me and live with me, respecting me. And if he wants, love me as I am. Or not love me. Love is a thing for women. Only the stupid ones."_

Her improper comment at a dinner party made all the men laugh and the ladies glance at her horrified. The countess started to talk about love and how it was an important factor to build a good and lasting relationship. His husband, the Count Ulquiorra begged her in a not very delicate way to stop talk and added his usual _woman_ at the end of the sentence.

For outsiders it might have seemed a gross and disrespect way to treat a wife, but Byakuya and the others around the table knew they loved each other and it was his own way to speak to anyone. He was cold and most of time, quiet. He rarely spoke — different from his wife, who seemed to always have a stupid comment to make.

To be honest, he was not in the mood to make an apparition and if he could choose, he would rather stay at home. However, as soon as Shinji was back from New Gate, he sent him a note.

It did not say too much, but enough to him.

_Lady Kuna now has a new chaperone to accompany her tonight._

Tonight could only mean Lady Schiffer's Ball. And if she would be there, he would too.

**###**

If she could choose a word to define the night, it would be irritant. It seemed that from night to day, she was the new talk of the town. She could swear she was more famous than the Queen herself. But not. Being who she was, Rukia was almost sure they saw her as an aberration.

From where she was, right away from everybody, hiding close to a column, she could hear just a few comments about her. Lords and matrons, and of course young ladies, mentioned her — and now they knew her name once Mashiro told everyone who she was. And she did it so proudly, Rukia felt like killing the girl for being more stupid and innocent than she was herself — at least nine of ten words they spoke.

Of course it was annoying, but she pretended she was not even there. She pretended it was not with her. And that it did not concern her. And, in fact, it did not.

Mashiro was now sliding on the dance floor with her groom. Count Kensei Muguruma was a little bit impatient with the girl, but Rukia doubted any other man would ever treat her better than him.

Her heart was pure, but her head was lost. She lived in another place than Earth. In fact, Rukia found it beautiful. A mix of kindness and confusion, but that did not prevent her from being one of the cutest and good hearted ladies she had ever met.

Once concentrated on her pupil, the chatter seemed far and far away from her. She was now watching the beautiful couples sliding from one place to another in the Ballroom. The profusion of colors and the middle agitated music captured her attention and for a couple of minutes it seemed she was in another planet, so pleasant it was.

She even dared to smile slightly, closing her eyes for a brief moment to enjoy that peaceful moment the most. Nevertheless, too soon the silence was gone and the chatter became too louder again. People stopped dancing and she was forced to look at what was happening.

Her eyes grew as bigger as saucers.

Her breath stopped on her throat.

_The Duke of Somerset! _

_The Duke Byakuya Kuchiki!_

Someone spoke. From her place, Rukia could barely see him. But a few seconds went by (that seemed like centuries) until he walked towards her and extended his hand.

"May I have this dance?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Again another big chapter. I know. And they didn't even had a real interaction. I'm sorry, but it's needed for the future development. Rest assured they'll meet more often in the next chapters. **

**I'm also aware that some details are missing in this chapters, the reason is why I'll develop them further in the upcoming chapters.**

**If someone asks why Hirako Shinji and not Renji... It's because I loooooooooooove Shinji, he's funny and awesome. But no, that's not the reason. It's because I needed someone who could confront Byakuya and in my opinion, Renji is not that suitable... Funny? Yes, but not the kind of relationship I had in mind.**

**Jasmine, darling it's not going to be a forced marriage story and I hope you don't mind **** But I assure you all it's not for a reason, not because I'm trying to make it different or something like this.**

**Most of the historical information you have seen in the last chapter and in this one are real. I got them from google and some historical books. And just to let you know, **_Brooks's is a real gentlemen's club in London. It's open since 1764. _

**I think that's all.**

**Hope you don't mind reviewing this chapter again. **

**Take care,**

**Velvetsins**


	3. A Very Unpleasant Night

**Hi again xD**

**I'm here to say "I've finally finished all my college exams and I've done great on them all. It means from now on I'll have more time to write this and my other fanfics.**

**Thanks to each one of you who took your time to review the previous chapter. **(Peru, Red Cr0w, Lilith's Heart, Guest, PAMILA DE CASTRO, aria, vicky73, , Guest, bxrfan, Yuukinna, DRUON, ReckoningDay, Jasmine, L, LuciL06, silverqueen, seras3791). **I truly loved each one of them and I have to say I'm disappointed I cannot reply one by one, but that's life. Rest assured they are all in my heart. I still couldn't reply all your reviews, but now that my classes are finished and I only have to work, I'll find more time to reply them, okay?**

_**Ludmilla, shut the hell up. I love you, bitch!**_

**Again, this chapter isn't ****betaed****, so you know… **

**Some words you may not know:**

Perra means bitch/whore. It's actually is female dog in Spanish, but it also has a bad meaning.

Desgraciado means bastard.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot.**

**Warnings: Will contain at times; violence, sexual, drugs and historical references, coarse language, and possibly OCCness.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3. A Very Unpleasant Night<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Dear diary, today I discovered that if anything can go worse, it will surely go worse."<em>

As soon as the meaning of his words reached her, Rukia blinked a few times. _What?_

"Excuse me?"

"May I have this dance?" he asked one more time, his hand still outstretched. His face and intonation denounced nothing, but it seemed he did not like repeating himself.

And of course he did not.

He was a Duke and Dukes do not have to ask twice. They do not even have to ask. Damsels dream of dancing with them before they can be asked. Rukia was not a damsel, therefore she had no right to want it (and she would not, neither would he).

Looking around, she found all eyes on them. Matrons, ladies, lords and even the hosts. She could swear there were no single pair of eyes focused on anything else. The musicians were not playing anymore and complete and haunting silence filled the Ballroom.

She then lowered her eyes to his outstretched hand. His big and male hand, the same that touched her last night… _that…_ Her cheeks flushed. She did not mean to think about it at that exactly time, but she could not help it.

Of course, she did not dare to look up, already conscious of what she would find. If she could choose, she would rather continue hidden behind that pillar, far away from him and any attention he could bring to her.

But refusing him also meant bringing more attention to her. And to Lady Mashiro.

It caused her stomach to sink a little bit.

Both actions would bring all eyes to her until the end of the night. And none of them were good. Not at all. Besides, she could not spoil Mashiro's night.

She had no choice, right?

With a sigh of defeat, Rukia placed her hand on his and let the Duke guide her to the center of the Ballroom. Silence was still their companions as they stopped in front of each other and it only found its end when several pairs joined them and the music flowedin the space.

To Rukia's displease, the dance was not as fast as she wanted. Right, she was in London, not in the countryside where the kind of music she liked to dance was played in parties. She would have to stay with that one which steps were more formal and slow. To be honest, it was not the velocity of the dance that bothered her, but the fact that it did not allow her to change partner not even once.

Gladly, it was only one dance after all.

"Pardon me, Your Grace," she started as she moved around him, placingher hand again on his. "I did not understand why you chose me instead of all those beautiful girls here."

Byakuya looked at her as if it was the most obvious question he had ever heard.

"Because I wanted to."

The arrogance and certaintyprinted on his tone caused Rukia to bite her bottom lip.

"That is not what you wanted to ask, however," he pointed looking at her. His eyes did not show any emotion, as if he was not even curious. And Rukia doubted he could ever be.

"Nothing," she replied, moving gracefully around him. She had no reasons to ask him why. What was the point of knowing his reasons to propose when she had already refused?

"You are lying."

"I am n—

"You would ask why I did propose to you."

"You are not even going to ask if you are right."

"I know I am right."

Rukia opened her mouth to reply, but no word came out. Was he serious? He did not look arrogant, he was arrogant! How could that man so sure of himself be the dream of so many girls? Did they have no brain? Aren't they capable of think?

"The answer is because I wanted to," he replied as calmly as possible, making her spin around twice to get her by the hand. This time Rukia got close to him, more than was proper and the dance etiquette allowed. He did not let her step away, however.

From his distance, they could speak without being heard. But those people did not need to hear their conversation to formulate millions of filth theories.

She felt her heart racing by such proximity. Rukia knew he would not try anything – he could not – but she could not help but feel uneasy. The mere fact she could not read his eyes, or his face – in fact no emotion on his face. Was he even human? – only increased such feeling. Trying to move away would be of no use, he would not allow her neither.

Before she could even notice it, she was almost squeezing his hand, which was not in the dance etiquette and very impolite. Looking up, she found his inquisitive stare upon her, and to be honest, she found it more than invasive. To get rid of the discomforting silence and his unwanted attention, she started.

"Weren't you concerned about your reputation?"

"I am a Duke, Lady Rukia," he replied. "People will talk about me even if I do not give them any reason to."

His words caused her to stay quiet for a moment, merely allowing the soft music fulfill her ears as they slid together in the Ballroom. When she was ready to open her mouth to reply, the music suddenly stopped and they had to part ways.

Bowing dutifully, Rukia did not thank him for the dance and started moving to return to her place, when he held her hand and pulled her to him.

"I did not allow you to go."

"Huh?" Her eyes popped open.

"Stay for one more dance."

"It is not…" She opened her mouth to give her rehearsed answer. But Rangiku's words reached her at the same time, making her shut her lips together.

Oh God!

She nodded her acceptance and let him guide her once again in another dance. It was as slow as the other, but Rukia did not care. He stayed quiet for a moment and she could only enjoy the soft music. She did not dare to look at those people, already knowing what she would find.

The petite lady also did not look at his eyes, afraid of what she could find there. She stayed looking at their feet moving together in the dance. He danced decently, but it was the minimum anyone could expect from a Duke. As for she, dancing was natural for her and it was not a problem at all.

"Weren't you concerned about your reputation?" He repeated her question, causing her to look up immediately.

"Pardon me?"

"Why did you refuse my proposal?"

"Were you concerned about my reputation then, Your Grace?"

He did not answer, but the way his eyes narrowed slightly gave her all she wanted to know. And it told her to not play that kind of game.

"I am a maid," Rukia started, this time looking at him. Her arched eyebrows gave her a defiant look. "Why would I care about my reputation? People will talk about me even if I don't give them any reason to."

"That is not your only reason."

"Can you read minds, Your Grace?"

"No," he replied simply. "You are easy to read."

Rukia bit her bottom lip once again. Why did he have to be so persistent? Couldn't he simply accept her answer and leave her alone? Before she could even get a hold of herself, these words left her lips.

"What do you still want? Can't you accept "no" as an answer?" Looking at his narrowed eyes, she opened her eyes in shock. "I am so sor—

"No," he cut her off. "People never say no to me and if they do, as you did, I want to know the reason."

This time she bit her bottom lip fiercely to hold her answer. It was not easy, though.

"Speak honestly, as you did when you spoke to my assistant."

"I can't. People here…"

"I thought you did not care about their opinion."

"No. In fact I don't care about their opinion…" She sighed contently, noticing it was the end of the second dance. "Neither yours. Can you let me go now?"

"No."

Both fell silent as he held her hand between his tightly. It was not sufficient to hurt her, though. As some other couples joined them in the ballroom, Byakuya could hear people talking about her in a mocking tone. And about him as if he was crazy.

They were about to dance, when a servant finely dressed approached them and opened a trail with a paper for him. Byakuya took it and read quickly, crumpling it between his fingers.

Curiosity took over Rukia as he nodded his head lightly. His eyes, however, denounced nothing and she wondered if any emotion had ever touched them. Freeing her, he approached the servant and murmured something she could not hear through the music and some laughs echoing in the Ballroom.

"Excuse me, my Lady," he said in a low tone, bowing before her.

Even feeling curious about his sudden departure, Rukia thanked the heavens to be left alone. She walked back to her place, but before she could go far away, a big and skinny hand held her wrist tightly.

"Hello, maid."

Looking up, Rukia found the ugliest face she had ever seen and the one she did not want to see any more in her life.

"Count Nnoitra."

**###**

Displease was written all over his face as he marched towards the inner rooms. The paper, whose calligraphy was careless and rough, still lay on his hands, crumpled and partially torn on the signature.

When the Duke finally opened the door, he was already composed and his face was back to its normal stoicism. Nobody could ever say it had ever been different.

Inside the room, four men waited him as he previously asked the servant. Renji wore a bored expression; Ulquiorra remained as expected from him, stoic; Urahara drank brandy and Shinji wore his usual annoying smile. All of them remained standing while on the ottoman a gorgeous dark-skinned woman was lying. Smiling, she turned to him and took the glass from her husband's hand.

"Finished with your Duchess, Little Byakuya?" She held his cold look while sipping the drink lightly. Then a mischievous smile took over her lips.

Byakuya remained silent watching her smirk growing bigger by the second. Shinji then looked at the Duchess and also smiling, replied.

"I'm afraid, Your Grace, the girl doesn't want him."

"What?" Yoruichi almost chocked. "No? She said no?"

Shinji nodded his head.

"Well…" The Duke Urahara also seat on the ottoman beside his wife. He opened his white fan and spoke between a fake smile. "The girl is whether crazy or has got some nuts."

"I like her!" Yoruichi decided, giving the glass to her husband and taking his fan. They were a pretty weird couple. Instead of her carry a fan, he did it. But only innocent people could not say it was a weapon. The Duke always carried it with him, besides his walking stick. It was a bit strange to see him on the streets or even in a Ball. Always dressed very formally and carrying such weird items.

"You don't even know her," Shinji reasoned.

"Whatever." She shrugged. "Gentleman, can one of you lighten up my life and tell me what I am doing here instead of dancing with my husband?"

"It certainly does not include discussing the Duke's private life," Ulquiorra spoke for the first time.

"Little Byakuya and Little Ulquiorra are no fun anymore," Yoruichi complained, pouting.

"Love is dead," Byakuya announced, cutting off the Duchess. "His assassin committed suicide tonight."

Silence filled the room for a good amount of time. None of them spoke anything while looking at one another. However, the exchanged looks denounced the nervousness of the moment.

Shinji looked less apprehensive, but even so, he was surprised with the new information. Not to mention he did not expect Byakuya to share such information with all of them. Nevertheless, all of them were in the War and were partners back then, it was just natural to tell them, right?

"And what do we do?"

Byakuya remained silent. It was not needed words; everybody knew what they should do.

"We have to finish the translation of the book," Urahara spoke seriously for the first time.

"We first need..."

Renji's sentence was cut in the middle by a strong knock on the wall. All of them frowned, but paid no attention nonetheless. Cautious, all of them merely nodded their heads, agreeing with him.

"Well…" Yourichi started but another sound interrupted them. "We can reunite later and discuss it."

The sound of something like a metal object cut her midst of her sentence again. Rolling her cat-like eyes, the Duchess, merely spoke annoyed.

"It seems a very enthusiastic couple is in need of a bedroom!" After a very brief laugh, she continued, "But it has to be soon, we have to decide everything before we depart to the countryside."

The five of them agreed and left the study room. Byakuya was the only one left behind. His only companion was the noise coming from the other room.

Anyone could say it was a passionate couple looking for a better place, but he was not so sure. When he heard a gasp and swear-word he decided to interrupt whatever was happening.

The Duke knew that voice.

**###**

They started dancing. This time, for Rukia's deeply relief, they could change partners. It took a while before they could meet again.

She could not be more grateful. But at the same time, his grayish and mad eyes did not left her and it caused her anxiousness to grow at new levels.

"My _Perra_ is finally back…" The count spoke in Spanish, as their hands met again.

"_Desgraciado _Count," she replied also using her native language. "Can you speak in English?"

"Why?" he continued, but did not do as she asked. Spanish still filled his angry lines. His eyes were so filled with hatred, Rukia could feel her spine growing cold.

"Because it not polite," she replied, smiling sweetly. None of her lines were in Spanish anymore. "Also, don't you care about your reputation? Dancing with a maid… I thought…"

"Are you only satisfied with a Duke?"

"It is not…" Rukia tried, but stopped at the same time. Arguing with Nnoitra was inutile. It would lead them nowhere.

"Who do you think you are, _perra?"_ He held her hand and asked before she could change partners as expected.

Rukia looked at her surroundings. For the first time, she wanted the Duke was closer. If he could keep her for a third dance, Nnoitra would probably never get closer to her. Well… maybe he would… The Count was so mad she did not doubt he could take her from him without warnings.

The Duke was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, she noticed how those people looked at her. She could almost read in their stared. _Firstly dancing with a Duke and now with a Count, who does she think she is?_

"A maid," she replied as soon as gave up on the Duke.

_Never mind, I can handle it by myself._

"No," Nnoitra replied, crushing her fingers between his. It did not pull any reaction from Rukia. And even if he could say she was in pain, he knew she would never say it loud.

_That bitch!_

"How dare you?" He spoke a little louder and this time in English. "How dare you to humiliate me, bitch?"

This time Rukia did not hold back any words and spoke everything that was in her mind. Her tone, however, was composed.

"You are the only one here humiliating yourself, Count."

Furious, Nnoitra grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of them Ballroom. Every pair in the Ballroom stopped dancing and looked at them, stupefied. Some ladies placed their hands on their mouths and some others merely smiled. But none of them, be it woman or man, tried to help her.

Aware that a sudden movement could yank stronger reactions, she let the Count pull her with him. The only person who tried to do something, was the Lady Schiffer, but before she could do anything, they were out of their line of sight.

Soon enough, he opened a door and thrust Rukia inside it. With the force of his movement, he caused her to bump against a big table. The silverware fell to the floor, reaching the wooden surface with an audible tinkling.

She noticed that every furniture inside the room was covered with a white blanket.

_Unused, _her mind processed. _Clever Count._ No one would ever look for them there and he could do anything that pleased him.

_So do I, _she smiled assuming a defensive posture.

"Perra," he called. His smile growing bigger and bigger. He was back to Spanish again. "Let me explain a few things."

"Explain what?" Rukia replied. And now she did not care about using Spanish too.

"Show some respect or else I tell your beloved Duke what you wanted from him."

Silence filled the room for a few seconds. Then she closed her eyes briefly and spoke. Her voice as cold as she could.

"You won't and you know why?" She did not give him time to reply. "Because if you do, everyone here in this Ballroom will know that the Great Count Nnoitra Gilga was beaten by a wo—

Before she could even finish her sentence, her throat was crushed between his long fingers.

"In your place I would apologize, perra."

Rukia choked, but remained silent. Her eyes shone defiantly.

"I did not hear your apology, perra."

_And you won't._

A few tears left her eyes, touching her chin and his gloved hands, but no word left her lips. She was in pain, true, but she would never apologize. Breathing was a little difficult, but the Count did not lose his grip over her.

"I am waiting."

Rukia opened her lips, but no sound came out. Nnoitra then released his grip a little bit. Satisfaction was over his eyes and face as he expected her apologies. Even if he had not heard it yet, it sounded like the sweetest symphony.

_A primal music._

"Go fuck yourself, Count."

He barely had time to process what she had said when he felt it. An excruciating pain between his legs.

Rukia seized the opportunity of his moment of delight and wait of her apologies to hit him for good. She saw, as happy as if it was the best day of her life, pain dominating his face and body while he contorted himself to ease the bad feeling.

The grimace of pain he wore a few seconds ago was gone and one of hatred took over it. He released her for good this time, pushing her hard against the wooden furniture. Her back met it sonorously. Rukia felt breathless and for a moment, the pain was so unbearable she could not see anything. It gave Nnoitra time to raise his hand to slap her across the face.

Nonetheless, before he could do anything the door swung open and a deep voice filled the room.

"I warn you no to do it, Count Gilga."

**###**

Both of them quickly averted their attention from each other to where the voice came. Closing the door, the Duke Byakuya Kuchiki was looking at them. His face was composed and the same could be told of his voice.

"Move away, Count."

Nnoitra smiled, but did not lower his hand nonetheless.

"And what? What are going to do, Duke Kuchiki?"

"Are you really willing to try?"

For Rukia's complete surprise, the Count this time lowered his hand and retreated two steps, still looking at the Duke. His face also denounced nothing, but Rukia could say his blood boiled inside his veins.

Hatred could be seen on his eyes. It caused a shiver to run up Rukia's spine. Slowly, Nnoitra walked to the door. Everyone could say he was uneasy and to be honest, the girl could not understand his demeanor. He was not the type to follow orders.

Was the Duke so scary? Or there was something else?

His hand was placed on the doorknob, when Byakuya spoke one more time.

"Apologize."

"What?"

"I do not like repeating myself, Count."

"I won't."

"If you do not apologize by yourself, I will make sure you do it."

By his corporal reaction, Rukia could say he was ready to kill the man in front of him. As for the Duke, his eyes never left hers. He was not even worried about Nnoitra's grimaces. It seemed he was not even there. What kind of man was he?

"I am sorry, Lady Rukia," he said. But in his eyes, it was what he said _It will never stay this way, perra._

As for she, Rukia replied on her own way, _I make your words mine, Count._

The Count left and silence filled the room. The Duke continued to look at Rukia. The fact she could not even guess the meaning of such stare bothered her. He was so cold, so formal it was very annoying.

_What kind of woman would like to marry such man? _

Lowering her own eyes, she bit her bottom lip and sighed.

He did not break the silence.

And he would not.

It seemed he was waiting her to say something first.

And it would not happen.

_Never._

Sighing again, Rukia raised her eyes and looking straightly at him, she also walked to the door. Of course she did not leave, for he held her arm and said.

"I did not say you could leave."

**###**

Her heavy eyelids were pressed together for a quite long time. Such reaction did not go unnoticed by the Duke, who analyzed the little bruises on her porcelain skin.

"He has hurt you," he stated, lifting his eyes to her violet orbs. Rukia's orbs grew bigger as saucers. She looked back at her arms and noticed the red marks there. It was not aching, but even so they did not attract attention in a good way.

Quickly, she removed her hands from his, putting some distance between them. Walking was a little bit painful. Her back was sore and she wanted to badmouth Nnoitra for getting her off guard. Actually, she wanted to badmouth herself for thinking he would not do anything because they were surrounded by so many people.

_Silly me._

_Damn Nnoitra._

"Why did he hurt you?" the Duke asked, breaking the silence. His voice was icy, colder than before. The courtesy contained in their dancing moment was gone and now the ice of his voice was also touching his eyes.

Rukia felt cornered by his sudden question and pressed her lips together. Nothing would leave her mouth. Not let out her pain, let alone to answer his question.

Her life was not of his concern.

"What is your relationship with Count Gilga?" He pressed, clearly displeased with her lack of response.

"I am sorry, Your Grace, but it's none of…"

She could not finish her sentence, for two knocks on the door caught their attention.

"May I?" A sweet voice followed an orange head appearing through the double doors. Rukia recognized the woman as the host. The woman did not wait their permission – of course, it was her home – and entered the room.

"Are you okay, Lady Rukia?" she asked in the same sweet tone. A caring smile followed her lines. "I have been looking for you since Count Nnoitra arrested you from the Ballroom. The mansion is very big, so I wasn't able to find you before. I am sorry."

To say Rukia was stunned with her apology would be an understatement. Was the Countess really apologizing?

"I am…"

"Don't bother… I am glad Lord Kuchiki found you first." She smiled again.

_I am not, _she spoke to herself. It was a lie, of course. She asked the heavens to meet him again since Nnoitra took her for a dance, but of course she would never say it loud.

"Are you okay?" The Countess walked to her, taking her hands between hers. "I am pleased to meet you, Lady Rukia."

"Yes, I am," She did her best to force the corner of her lips to force a smile, but she was too tired to even that. It ended like a mere suggestion then.

"She is not," Byakuya answered for her.

His sudden response caused Rukia to narrow her eyes a little bit. He was not even paying attention to her, focused on Orihime instead.

"Oh…" Her mouth stayed opened in shock for a brief moment. "Did he hurt you? Is he jealous because you are going to marry Lord Kuchiki?"

"I am fine!" Rukia replied a little bit louder. "And I am–

"Wait here, Lady Rukia," she said walking to the door. "I am going to get some medicine and take a better look at at you!"

She did not wait for a response and left them alone in the room. Byakuya knew Orihime for too long, to know she was not only going to get some remedies, but also tell her husband how mean Lord Gilga was to Lady Rukia. Of course somebody would possibly hear and spoke to some others and so on.

Decided to avoid more confusion that night, he walked to the exit.

"Follow me."

Rukia stayed exactly where she was. She blinked, confused.

"I said follow me."

"What are you going to do?" she asked as they crossed the empty corridor towards an unknown place.

He did not reply and it only caused her to grow even more confused. They continued to walk in a slow pace, due to Rukia's back. The duke did not seem displeased, however. She wondered if they would return to the Ballroom, even though the path seemed a little bit different. When they finally reached a gate, Rukia understood.

"Wait here."

She did not have time to speak for he left. From where she was, she could see a few carriages placed in a big patio. The snow was falling slowly; a few snowflakes reached the floor and touched the horses, whose big ears moved quickly to prevent them to stay on their pelage. Some of them hit their hooves against the paving stone to keep their temperature.

Looking at the poor animals caused her pain to slowly fade away and before long he was he was back. A black and huge _Brougham carriage_ stopped in front of them. It had a golden ducal coat of arms printed on it. The two black horses that pulled the carriage also moved their ears quickly.

"My coachman will take you home."

"But I…"

"I do not take _no_ as a response."

"But I am here as Lad…"

"I do not remember watching you with her tonight," he spoke, removing his blazer to place it over her shoulders. He did not give her time to complain and helped her to embark.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked but did not have time to get a response, for he closed the door of the carriage.

His face was the last thing she saw, watching her as unreadable as ever.

"Thank you, Your Grace," she spoke to herself once alone in the darkness of the comfortable vehicle.

**###**

It was incredibly dark when the girl first opened her eyes. She could not see anything, but she could feel the air around her and it was cold.

Very, very cold.

She felt like dying, so cold it was. It aroused uncountable goosebumps on her skin, causing her body so shake violently. Then it was nothing and the ingested water left her lips madly.

"Oh my dear God she is alive!" someone screamed, touching her face. She did not know that hand, but those fingers were rough and big. She felt when they moved to her belly, pressing it in an attempt to help her to get rid of that water.

It took a while before she could finally rest her back against a rough surface and actually see what was right in front of her. One or two ships were in the water and the nauseating smell of fish filled her nostrils.

The Port.

But what Port? She could not recognize it.

_Where I am? _She squinted her eyes trying hard to identify such place. It was familiar, right?

"What is your name, child?" Somebody she could not recognize asked her. Then a kind masculine voice joined the first one.

"Who are you, girl?"

Slowly, she looked up and see a few white strands adorning an as kind face as the voice who followed soon after.

"Oh my God you are bleeding, girl!"

With trembling hands, the girl lifted her hand to touch her forehead. It was indeed bleeding. And a lot. But it did not hurt, so she took no heed. What bothered her the most was the fact she did not know her name anymore.

After all who was she and what was she doing there?

Before she could even notice it, drowsiness overwhelmed her and soon enough she rapidly passed out. One single thought in mind.

_Who I am? _

_Who I am?_

_Who I am?_

Rukia's eyes shot open in the darkened room. For an unknown reason she was feeling out of breath. As if she had swallowed something she should not have.

She coughed.

Sitting down, she reached out for the water and swallowing it slowly, she thought of what had happened.

Right. The girl on her dreams. Again.

_Just a dream._

_Just a dream._

_Just a bad dream._

She shook her head and looked at the window in her bedroom. Thin and small snowflakes, as delicate as the first flowers blossoming on the spring, hit the window.

It was still dark which meant it was not time to get up, but she was already wide-awake. Sighing, she tried to close her eyes, but she knew sleep would not arrive and take her without warnings.

By her side, Rangiku slept peacefully and in the quietness of the room, she could even hear her friend's breath. It was at the same time good and wonderful but also disquieting. She could hear her heartbeats, could feel every muscle of her body and feel like someone was hitting her head.

The headache was always fading away in the mornings and coming back at nights, making it impossible to fall asleep for more than three or four hours at night.

Watching the snowflakes falling was relaxing. She liked it, but she would like more if she could sleep all night.

Lying on her belly, Rukia tried to observe the backrest of her bed and trace its details with her fingers. Her head was not concentrated on it though and the only thing she could see in her mind was the last conversation she had with the Duke.

"_Why are you helping me?" she asked when he placed his blazer over her shoulders._

She did not get any answer, but deep inside she already knew it.

Great. He was doing it because he wanted to and there was nothing she could say to stop him. Not at all.

Yes. It bothered her. Bothered her to no end knowing that he was helping her when she was just trying to steal him.

It also bothered her the way he looked at her. Actually, he did not _precisely _look, it was like he stared at her and judged her.

She wondered if it was because of her physical similarity to Hisana.

Annoyed, she got up and went downstairs. The darkness was fading away, replaced by a shy light. It was not a sunny day though.

She was visibly tired and sore, but could not sleep anymore. And this time it had nothing to do with the Duke or what had happened last night.

No.

It was actually related to those daydreams and nightmares that decided to stay with her for what seemed… _forever._ She could not remember the last time she slept the whole night. As peacefully as a child. As she was used to.

Sighing, Rukia took one of her pills and sat down comfortably on the couch and stared at the huge window. Some people were leaving their houses to go to work. It was not even six in the morning, but that part of the city did not sleep. Just like her.

In the district of St. Giles night was not so different from day. Streets were still crowded. Prostitutes, drug dealers, bars were all over the places trying to make up for their bored and less busy days. Some of the dandies of the important areas of London were also there, occupying themselves with the cheap prostitutes who had restrictions about… _preferences._

Located near better districts, not so far away where the poorest lived, their house was one of the best. Two floors, large and comfortable rooms. A very good place to live if it was not the… _neighborhood._ A few decades before, St. Giles was not that _rookery, _but Rukia could not say the same nowadays…

Also, if the house was still good for living it was surely because of Hisana's work and… _the Duke's money._ Now Rukia knew why she always acquired new household items. Perhaps that comfortable couch was bought by him?

She shook her head. Whoever Hisana dated or what she did with her love life was not of her business. Her world offered little opportunities to have a better life, and not all of them had the opportunity to be engaged to a Count. Sometimes the only option left was to become lover of a… _Duke. _

In fact what bothered her was not their _clandestine_ relationship. No. She was not envy of Hisana or mad at her. Actually, she was far more bothered because of their physical similarity and how it linked her to the Duke.

Sighing, she decided to forget such thoughts and just looked at the city. It did not take her too much time to fall asleep. However, it also did not take too long before Rangiku woke her up.

"Good morning, little maid. Are you okay?"

Slowly, she opened her violet eyes and looked at her friend, but closed them basically at the same instant.

"Sure. Could you just let me sleep a little bit more?"

"Of course no!" Rangiku held her small hand between hers. "Come! We have big news and I will make sure you get a good breakfast and take your pills, right?"

"I have already taken it, thank you," she replied with a low voice, letting be guided by the excited woman to the kitchen. "But what news?"

In the kitchen, Momo, Nell, Pesche and Lord Barragan were having breakfast talking aloud. When Rangiku announced their entrance, everybody looked at her in silence.

"Good morning," she said unable to understand their stares.

"Sit down, girl," Lord Barragan spoke, placing his strong arms on the table.

She obeyed a little bit startled. She knew he did not like her not even the tiniest bit, perhaps because she was too much alike his deceased daughter. _Did she have any reason to like such similarity?_ Was it so painful to look at her? Or did he indeed blame her for Hisana's death?

By the end of the day of her burial, Lord Barragan spat out these exactly words. _Why her? Why not you?_

Of course, he had never approved the fact Hisana wanted to help her.

Hisana was the best person she had ever known. The kindest one.

She had brought Rukia from the slums and gave her a decent life. She never expected anything in return or asked for impossible favors.

"I heard you declined the Duke's proposal."

"I…" Her eyes shot open at his tone. "It's true."

"Why?"

"Because I can't. I am enga…"

She was cut midst of her sentence when his big fist hit the wooden surface. Everyone looked at him with widened eyes. Pesche trembled in fear, Momo almost choked with her food and Rangiku held her hand under the table.

Nelliel was the only one to come to her rescue. Her sweet tone caused everybody to look at her.

"Lord Barragan…"

"Stay quiet, Nelliel."

If she was not used to his sudden bursts of rage, she would have shaken in fear. But Rukia was not a girl anymore and she knew it was merely his way to deal with every situation.

"I…" She closed her mouth deciding if it was worthy to explain herself.

"Do not bother, girl," he explained, drying his mouth with a piece of cloth. He rose up and tossed it on the table. "You will get this notebook as planned."

"But I…"

"Momo said he's in need of a preceptor for his goddaughter."

Rukia looked at the petite maid sitting in front of her. Momo nodded her head, but remained in silent.

"Be sure you are accepted. Or else…"

He did not even finished his sentence and left. But even so it caused Rukia to swallow hard.

She already knew his answer. He would make sure she would marry the Duke even if he needed to take her tied up to the Saint Paul's Cathedral.

**###**

_The Duke's Lover_

_One of the most popular sayings was correct. It seems the opposites really attract. Last night, our greatest cold bachelor met his future Duchess again! This time the (in)famous couple even danced together. More than once!_

Byakuya closed his eyes as he finished the first paragraph of Lady Lisa's column. He did not close the magazine however, deciding to read a little bit more instead.

When he asked Choujirou to bring it together with the newspapers he already knew what he was bound to find. And surprisingly, it was better (until now) than he expected. At least the beginning.

Or he could say, at least it was not a blatantly lie. It was indeed true. A distorted truth does not cease being true.

Opening his eyes, he read the next few lines. The article dedicated to him was enormous and the Duke wondered if every single magazine in that city published that morning about him.

It had never been a concern before, but in such circumstances he could not pretend it was nothing.

_Why should I care about my reputation? People will talk about me even if I don't give them any reason to._

Even with such an answer.

_Silly girl. _

Couldn't she see in what troubles she was putting herself into for not accepting his proposal? At least they did not know (yet, he was sure finding it out would not be a problem to Lady Lisa) that she refused him.

_Based on the information Lady Kuna gave us in first hand, her name is Rukia (what a lovely name. At least, our court will get interesting with less common names) and she is (believe it or not) a chaperone! But she also works as a preceptor. Who could have known out Duke would fall madly in love with a plain girl?_

_At least, that explains that horrible dress she was wearing last night. I bet fashion magazines will dedicate a brief space on their edition to talk about the future Duchess clothing and accessories. I expect her to dress better once she is married to the Duke, who is impeccable in every look he chooses. But who can judge her? She was just working at all. And some women are surely not meant to become a symbol._

He did not know why he kept reading such defaming text. Perhaps because he wanted to know what lies the media would say about him before talking to the Elders.

_But we have a big question. We are all curious. Why did the Duke present his new affair to everybody? Yes, everyone in London doubts he is really willing to marry someone below his social position. _

Without even knowing it, he had presented his affair.

_And why Rukia Tu Odelschwanck? Is it because she is too alike his ex? Is it because she remembers him of his deceased lover Hisana Louisenbairn?_

Good. They indeed mentioned Hisana. However, it was already expected. He was with Hisana for almost three years and he has never omitted it from anyone.

_Could it be more than a simply relationship based merely on desire? Should our ladies get concerned? Is the preceptor more than the Duke's Lover?_

Byakuya Kuchiki had never been the kind of having many lovers, but he had had a few ones. Hisana Louisenbairn was one of them.

Before she died.

And it was the most shocking news he received since his return. He could never have known it. Before he went to Spain, she was alive. Not fine, but still alive.

He knew she was a prostitute since their first and unusual encounter, but then they continued to meet for a quite long until she said she no longer wanted to see him.

It was a few weeks before his departure. He was willing to propose to her when he returned from the continent, but then she was dead.

He still did not know why she decided to end their relationship. He did not know so many things to be precisely.

That's why he addressed a letter to a detective. He needed to know who Rukia indeed was.

Was she really a preceptor? Why was she so similar to Hisana? Why did she go to his room?

There were plenty information about her he wanted to know, but could not ask to her friends.

No.

He needed to hear about her from reliably sources.

And also… He wanted to know how Hisana died.

To be very honest, the Duke could not believe how one fact could be separated from another. It did not mean he suspected that Rukia was a murderer, but it did not mean he trusted her neither.

He did not have much time to think about it, for soon his butler entered his study room announcing the inspector Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez.

Closing the magazine definitely, Byakuya looked at the man in front of him.

"Hey, Duke!"

**###**

It was almost lunch time when Chōjirō finally finished his last interview. Since it was announced the Duke needed a preceptor for his goddaughter, Yachiru, many young ladies have applied to the position.

He was pretty sure none of them were good enough to deal with the bratty girl. To be honest, he considered himself too old to teach her good moods. And considering the girl was going to spend the next few months with them, he quickly asked his Master somebody to help.

The Duke had always trusted him and said he could make the interviews himself and choose who best pleased him. And that was it. Who best pleased him was the same young girl his Master proposed marriage.

Rukia Tu Odelschwanck was a very clever lady and met the requirements for the position. She spoke English, Spanish, French and Latin. Her moods were not that feminine, but he did not think it would be a problem once Yachiru was just an eight years old girl. Perhaps if she was fifteen or even close to her debut… But that was surely not the case.

She also liked children and more importantly, she knew how to correct them. It was clear when Yachiru invaded the second and smaller living room asking for tea and biscuits before lunch and Rukia explained she could have those after eating properly.

Of course he was unsure because the Duke could be dissatisfied with his choice, but when Yachiru did not complain about her correction, he had no doubts.

In any other occasion, the devilish girl would have cried or make a hell of his life until she got what she wanted. It was basically the same with her godfather, the Duke, who had no patience with the girl and always kept her mouth full to prevent being disturbed in the middle of his work.

Needless to say, it caused Yachiru to act always childishly to attract his attention. As impatient as he was, Byakuya would do anything she wanted to keep his peace of mind.

But the girl wanted her future _godmother _closer. And he wondered if his Master would want the same too. He had heard the young lady had declined his proposal. But what if it could change if she stayed close to him?

He got up from the couch and signalized positively to the girl in front of him. Rukia placed her tea on the small table in front of them and also rose up.

"I hope we start working together soon, Lady Rukia."

"And what does that means?" She could barely keep her felicity to herself.

"That means you are hired."

Rukia almost screamed in happiness when these words left his lips, but controlled herself as she saw Chōjirō's face remained focused and serious. Smiling briefly, they shook hands.

"Thank you." She bowed dutifully. "I cannot really thank you enough, Lord Chōjirō."

He also bowed, but before he could say anything, a deep voice reached them. Rukia looked up and felt her blood freezing at such sight.

"Chōjirō, ask Hisagi to get ready. We…" he stopped his sentence on half as he saw Rukia by his servant's side. "We are leaving."

His eyes locked on hers and though his face denounced nothing, she wondered if he knew the reason she was there.

"Of course, Your Grace," Chōjirō bowed dutifully, walking towards the exit. He did not miss the exchanged stares between his Master and Lady Rukia. When he was almost leaving, he turned on his heels and approached them again. "I am sorry, Your Grace. This is the new preceptor. Her name is Lady R—

Once again he was cut midst of his sentence. This time, the one who interrupted him was not the Duke, but the Inspector who was in a meeting with him.

"Rukia Tu Odelschwanck… I didn't expect see you here, lady," he emphasized the word lady, which caused Rukia to narrow her eyes.

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez," she replied, still looking at him. She did not use the word _Lord_ at the beginning because she had never considered him one.

A few seconds of silence went by. The three of them mere stared at one another. Byakuya did not look at Grimmjow, focused on Rukia instead. He already knew what the Inspector wanted, but he did not know what she thought about his demeanor. Rukia and Grimmjow exchanged stares. He smiled.

"Excuse me, my Lord," Chōjirō said, leaving them quietly. No one paid attention to him.

Grimmjow was ready to open his mouth once again when Byakuya spoke for the first time.

"Leave."

The blue-haired man did not complain. He merely smirked and gesticulated something she did not pay attention and left them.

Alone with the Duke in the leaving room, Rukia made her way to also leave, but stopped as his cold voice reached her ears.

"You are not allowed to leave."

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Reviews?**

**Hahaha I'm sorry I left the chapter again with a cliffhanger. I know most of you hate it, but I simply love it. Sorry**

**About the pace, I'm glad to know so many of you didn't find it boring to not have interactions in the previous chapter. To compensate, this one have tons of scenes between them.**

**Hope it's not disappointing.**

**Next chappie you'll have much more. I promise!**

**I know Rukia is a little bit OOC, but I'm considering here they don't have the same relationship as they have in the canon series, so I decided to portray her as she really is, a strong woman.**

**Again, the places here mentioned are real and actually existed/exist. If I wrote anything wrong, wrote any information that doesn't match the reality please tell me.**

**Well… That's all.**

**And finally, would you mind reviewing this chapter for me?**

**Take care,**

**Velvetsins**


	4. Cornered

**Hi xD**

**I'm a little bit late. One day! I hope you don't mind, xD xD xD**

**I not a really fast writer and to be very honest I was not satisfied with this chapter, so I wrote a few parts again. Hope you like it now :)**

**My biggest thanks to **RagelvlitsOver9000 **for your correction. I'll fix it there tomorrow, okay? Thanks, **_**nee-san!**_

**And to Flavia who helped with this chapter. Thanks, dear! **

**And also to everyone who kindly reviewed my last chapter **(Luud-chan; ; Red Cr0w; Ana cii Bunny; Guest; ofelspring 44; Guest; loyalbyafan; PAMILA DE CASTRO; ZIRS; Guest; RagelvlitsOver9000; Yuukinna; L; vicky73; aria; arlingtonsteward; seras3791; Jasmine; ReckoningDay; bxrfan; silverqueen; DRUON; LuciL06; Lilith's Heart; Guest) **and for the follows and favorites too.**

**I appreciate your opinion. I really do. And I am the one here who should say "Love you". Thanks, seriously.**

**And for the ones who asked me how I was doing with this depression stuff, I'm doing great. Thank you 3**

**This chapter again is not **betaed** and I have just finished it. So you will surely find some mistakes. I'll fix it tomorrow together with the other ones. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot.**

**Warnings: Will contain at times; violence, sexual, drugs and historical references, coarse language, and possibly OCCness.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4. Cornered<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Dear diary, I hate the Duke. I have never hated anyone like I hate him."<em>

Still glued on the floor, the petite girl finally looked at him over her shoulder.

Great. The same statement again. It seemed he liked to use it. Well… He was a Duke after all.

He did not say anything for a while, looking at the windows instead. Out there, the blank carpet of snow was a sad landscape, mainly with the small threes completely nude.

Rukia finally turned around and copied his movement, watching the few leaves still fighting to stay on their branches being carried away by the winter wind.

She was already lost on the scenery when his cold voice reached her at long last. His tone was as cold as the weather outside. It gave chills to her back.

"When did you learn Spanish?"

As these words left his lips, Rukia looked at him and gaped. For a few seconds, she did not know how to react. Honestly, she expected to be scolded for her demeanor last night, or at least, to be questioned about looking for a job on his house.

But _that? _She could never expect such question.

"Pardon me, Your Grace. But I did not…"

"I do not like repeating myself, Rukia."

_Rukia…_

_Rukia…_

_Rukia…_

He used her birth name. Not Lady Tu Odelschwanckor Lady Rukia. But merely Rukia. It was unusual for him.

_But…_ What did she know about him? She had only seen him two times and merely spoken to him once and in public. How could she know the way he usually talked to people? If that was indeed different or not?

The only indication she had he was different was his tone. Much colder than what she was used to. But then again how could she know it was not his usual intonation?

However, based on her brief experience with him, the seriousness printed on his question caused her to grow confused. What was so important about her ability to speak Spanish? So many people could speak Spanish, including himself, she guessed.

"I…" She frowned a bit more. "Spanish is my first language, Your Grace."

Rukia could have never seen it, but when these words left her lips, Byakuya closed his eyes briefly. His expression remained the same and for a very, very short moment, he remained that way.

Bothered with his silence, she continued to explain herself without even knowing why she was doing it.

"I… was born in Spain."

Byakuya opened his eyes at her answer. In all that time, he did not turn to face her and Rukia could merely stare at his back without understanding the meaning of his demeanor.

"When did you come to England?" he asked after an awkward moment of silence.

"Pardo-" she started, but interrupted herself and sighed. "Four years ago, Your Grace. I was seventeen. Is there anythi-

She could not finish her sentence, for he suddenly turned around and walked past her as if she was not more than a shadow. When close to the exit, he solely spoke, this time looking straightly to her eyes.

"Choujirou will help you with the changing. You start today."

When Rukia finally managed to speak something he had already left her.

She was alone.

**###**

By the end of that day, all her belongings were already on the Duke's manor. She was not the one who moved them all, but the Duke's butler, Chōjirō.

The man was simply too good for her and she did not miss the kind of look he directed to her. Something between reverence and fierce assessment. It was a bit creepy she thought to herself while placing her clothes on the wardrobe.

Honestly, if she could have chosen, she would never sleep there during the week (it was agreed she would have holiday twice a month, on the weekends), but it was what the job demanded. How could she take care of aneight year child sleeping far away? It was not like the Duke would take care of the _little monster_himself.

Actually, she could not even think of it.

Nevertheless, despite her initial insecurity, she decided it was for the best – eventually people would continue to talk about her for the wrong reasons for a while, staying closer or far away would be of no use -, for she could have more time to get that _damn_ notebook.

She only hoped she could find it before the two months she had been hired expired away.

A few minutes went by when she finally placed the last piece of cloth on the wardrobe. She could have sighed in contentment if she was alone. But she was not.

Sitting on her canopy bed, Yachiru was drawing something on a few papers Rukia had gotten on the Duke's study room. And what was another amazing thing. She was allowed to circulate into every corner of the house she wanted. Every single place was hers to explore.

Even the Duke's bedroom.

WhenChōjirōshowed her the house in that very afternoon, he explained a few things about the mansion, actually a lot. Rukia listened carefully to each one of them, afraid of losing herself in that giant place. When they finally stopped at Yachiru's room, right in front of the Duke's, he pointed at the one placed beside the girl's.

_And that is your room, Lady Tu Odelschwanck._Chōjirōsaid, opening the door for her. Spying inside it, she noticed how big it was_. Impressive,_to say the least.

_Excuse me? _She asked. _What did you say?_She expected to have a place near the servant's area, but it seemed they all wanted her to be as closer of the Duke as possible.

_Why, God? Why?_

_I hope it is of your liking, Lady Tu Odelschwanck._

Still stupefied, the young maid merely nodded. What could she say? He then closed the door and continued to walk towards the upper floor. She followed him and when they were finished, he spoke,

_You are allowed to enter each area of this Manor and I hope you feel at home._

Rukia was about to thank him when a very bored Yachiru who followed them all the time, singing childish songs and counting her footsteps from time to time and every single picture on those walls, interrupted her.

_He meant you can enter my uncle's room, Lady Rukia._

Thinking of those words caused Rukia's cheeks to grow warmer all over again. Of course, _Chōjirō _asked the girl to behave properly and not to say anything as rude as that anymore.

Looking back, she found the petite girl looking at her now. Her dark pink eyes were shining with something Rukia could not distinguish, but foundquite uneasy.

"When are you going to marry my uncle? Are you two going to give me kids to play with?"

Rukia choke when these words reached her ears. For a few moments, she merely looked at Yachiru with her eyes wide open. The girl was not looking at her, however, she was comfortably drawing on the few blank papers left.

"Listen," She sat down on the bed closer to the girl. "It's not polite to ask anybody when he or she is going to marry or have a child."

As the meaning of such words reached her, Yachiru lifted her head and stared at her preceptor carefully. A frown took over her childish features.

"Why? I am just saying it's boring to be only child around."

Rukia sighed. It was very difficult to explain such a complex thing when Yachiru's only desire was to have company.

"Because you never know the reasons somebody is not going to have a child. Perhaps this person cannot. Or doesn't want it… Or…"

"But your case is because you didn't marry my uncle yet, right?"

Another long sigh left Rukia's lips. How was she going to undo such misunderstanding?

"Listen, I am not going to marry your…"

She was cut midst of her sentence by a long and loud snore.

Good.

The kid was sleeping.

Sighing, she picked up the little girl on her arms and went to the room beside hers. Luckily, Yachiru was as light as a feather. It did not bother her to carry the sleeping kid. It was almost relaxing.

When she was almost opening the door, she heard the sound of a door being opened. It came from the other side of the corridor. The Duke was leaving his study room, where he had spent the whole day since he returned from outside.

Rukia had no idea of what she was doing, or where he had gone on his time out. She did not care though. The less time he could spend at home, the better.

She needed to find that notebook and with him there she would never be able to get it. Honestly, she had no desire to waste her days on his company.

Not when he looked at her as if she was the one to blame… And blame for something she had no idea of.

Bowing her head, she proceeded inside the girl's room, but stopped when she saw his piercing stare over her. The Duke approached, but said nothing. In silence, he picked Yachiru on his arms and entered the pinkish room.

Together, they placed her on the canopy bed. Pink dominated the whole space. Pink sheets, pink pillow, pink curtains. Everything on that bedroom was pink. She wondered if the Duke himself had ordered the maids to organize that room for Yachiru or if it was the girl's idea.

Of course it was not the Duke's idea.

Realizing she would not wake up anytime soon, Rukia seized the opportunity to remove her shoes and cover her with the blankets. The curtains were already closed and the room was pretty dark. Gladly, the girl was not afraid of the dark, so they did not need to keep a candle burning the whole night.

When they left the room, Byakuya remained silent. He waited Rukia to leave the room to close the door. The connection to her own bedroom was not locked, so if the girl needed, she could enter Rukia's room anytime she wanted.

Before the silence, the raven-haired girl bowed dutifully and asked permission to leave. He did not grant it however.

"She was supposed to be sleeping at seven."

Rukia opened her mouth, but no sound came out. What did he expect? Did he want her to force the girl to sleep even if she did not want to?

"She was…"

"I will not tolerate any breach of rules."

He did not give her time to reply. He merely turned on his heels and left a very speechless preceptor behind.

"As you wish, Your Grace."

The man she had danced with last night was definitely a façade.

**###**

It was very late in the morning when Rukia finally feel asleep and even earlier when she was awakened by two rough knocks on her door.

Her eyes shot open in shock and her head immediately seemed to be hit by a hammer. It was so, so strong she did consider looking for a doctor as Rangiku suggested. Not as quickly as she opened her eyes, she removed the layers of blankets covering her body and sat down on the bed.

Outside Momo's voice was calling her excitedly.

"Wake up, Rukia! Wake up!"

_I am coming, _she replied, she could not only remember if she said it for real or mentally. Still groggy, she rose up from the bed and walked to the folding screen to get her robe to cover her slip.

She barely had time to attach it to her waist and Momo was already entering – she would rather stay with invading – her bedroom.

"Good morning!"

"Morning," she replied merely, holding onto the folding screen. Her head felt like exploding. It was worse than in the previous day. It did not matter the Duke's house had better pillows, better mattress or the best setting ever to sleep. It seemed somebody had crashed her head against a rough wall or floor.

"Is the girl already awake?" she asked in a low tone. "Am I late?"

"No!" Momo said, closing the door behind herself and walking towards the huge closet.

"So why are you waking me up? It's so early!"

"Because…" The petite maid started flipping Rukia's dresses. "Let me see…" She wore a concentrated expression that did not leave her until she found what she wanted. "This one!"

"What are you doing?"

"Choosing you a beautiful morning dress."

"And for what?" Rukia frowned. "I am going to have painting classes with Yachiru today, I need something comfortable, old and of course an apron."

"Because you are going to have breakfast with the Duke."

"WHAT?"

**###**

The Duke's long fingers flipped the newspaper pages. He did not want to read the Social Column, but he had to. It was just a small note about the Ball. They still kept mentioning his dance withRukia and how they simply disappeared from the Ballroom.

Good.

It was all he needed to.

_The Duke's Lover_

_We did not have any more Ballrooms last night – not important at least – in the city. Of course our coldest bachelor was not seen anywhere. He was, as always, at home. _

_That does not prevent us from speculating and analyzing more about the night he danced with his future Duchess._

_According to my sources, after dancing two times with her, he had to leave. The real Lady tried to go back to her place, but she could not, for the Count Gilga did not allow her. Chosen for another dance, our cute Duchess stayed on his frightening and unpleasant company. _

_If it had only ended with a dance we could stop our speculation here, but it did not. She was arrested by the Count to a more _private _area. _

_What did he want with her?_

_Is Lady Rukia already committed to him? _

_Are they lovers?_

_Could that explain why we did not have the Duke's marriage announced in The Times?_

_I wonder, we wonder, the entire London wonder, who will Lady Rukia Tu Odelschwanck choose? The ugly and disgusting Count or the cold, but handsome (the dream of our ladies) Duke?_

_Speculation._

This word and this word only could represent what such defaming text indeed was. The Times was merely _speculating_ about his love life, but no one could ever go as low as Lady Lisa's Column. The woman was specialized on it.

However, he could not say he did not share her doubts. Was Rukia somehow linked to Count Gilga? _Romantically?_

He doubted.

If they were really _lovers_ as Lisa suggested, the Count would never hurt her, would he?

Who knows?

They were talking about Nnoitra Gilga and he was not known as kind to woman. He was even processed by one of his _ex for mistreating._Of course nothing happened to him.

He also doubted someone as bold as Rukia would accept such treatment from a man.

Was she really involved with Nnoitra Gilga? _Could she?_

Once again, that was not what bothered him the most. Her love situation was as much as important to him as his was to her. He did not care the minimum about with whom she was _romantically involved_.

But it did matter if her chosen one was Nnoitra. Romantically or not. He could not allow someone related to _that man_ enter his house. Not when he was the one investigating Nnoitra conducts during the War.

Not when Nnoitra could be responsible for Love's dead.

But how could he know if she was indeed related to him or not? He did not trust her, he had no reason to trust she was merely a preceptor and a chaperone. What kind of chaperone would leave her Lady to enter the host's room?

And now he knew his servant did not talk to her. She was there because she wanted to. And not because she wanted that kiss to happen.

_No._

She was there for another reason.

_Doing Momo's a favor._

Even though Momo had confirmed Chōjirō such story he did not believe it the minimum.

And what kind of preceptor and chaperone can beat a man as well trained as Nnoitra? None of them spoke anything, but he saw how the Count was walking. She had hit him on his intimate parts. _A lucky strike?_ Perhaps. He still doubted it.

If it was not enough there was still the _Spanish. _Her ability to speak Spanish so well was what bothered him the most.

_I was born in Spain._

Just like Hisana. Just like Nnoitra. Just like the bunch of traitors he was investigating.

_Are you a traitor, Rukia? _he asked himself mentally.

A few steps were heard on the floor. Byakuya closed the newspaper.

He would find it soon.

**###**

"Good morning, Your Grace." Rukia bowed dutifully.

No word left his lips, be it to greet her or to say she was more than two minutes late. And she hoped he would not mention it, because she was not in the mood to hear anything coming from a man who only dared to face her and talk to her in the presence of the court.

As he did not hear any movement, Byakuya slowly raised his eyes from his document and annoyed ordered,

"Sit down."

Rukia obeyed, a little bit grudgingly. Of course it did not go unnoticed by the Duke who merely stared at her carefully. She expected to sit far, far away from him, at the other head of the table, not _beside_ him. Actually, she did not want to accompany that man, or to have his company, for breakfast. If she could choose, she would rather have breakfast with the other servants. Or even alone.

Why did it have to be her?

Was it a customary to ask any new servant to have at least one meal with him?

She doubted.

Sighing lightly, Rukia arranged the folds of her morning muslin dress and then stared at her food. She did not want to eat. Her headache was so powerful she could not think of eating. Her stomach hurt and she was queasy. But thinking about it would only make her feel even worst, so she continued staring at her dress. She was still wondering why Momo had chosen _that dress_. It was not like she was going to have breakfast with someone important. Why did she need to elect that one?

She started eating. She did not care about the fact the Duke stared at her from minute to minute. Why did he ask her to have breakfast with him if he was going to keep silent?

Was it good or bad to have such irritant silence?

And where were her pills? Why weren't they on the table yet?

She knew she was being picky. But the only thing she wanted was to be left alone. She did not think she would be able to endure a conversation with the Duke. Not when the only thing she could think of was getting her pills and resting her head against a plump and soft surface.

"Where in Spain were you born?"

His sudden question caused Rukia to look up to him a little bit startled.

"Excuse me?"

"Where in Spain were you born?" he repeated the question and this time he did not seem bothered by it. At least his voice was not as cold as it was usually.

Of course it confused Rukia even more.

"Valencia," she replied and chewed a little bit of bloater. When she managed to swallow it and drank some orange juice, she continued, "Why are you asking?"

He did not reply, merely looked straightly to her eyes instead. Rukia almost choked with her own boldness. Although he was clearly unsatisfied with her question, he did not voice anything. Copying her movements, he drank his juice and continued his interrogatory.

"Did you like it there?"

His _innocent_ question caused her to furrowher forehead. What kind of question was that?

"Excuse me?" she said one more time. Cleaning the corner of her lips, she placed the napkin back on the table and asked, "Why aretreating me like this?"

"Like what?" This time the Duke's eyes did not leave hers. There was no pretending innocence on his eyes, but there was not resolution either. As always, no emotion was visible there.

"In one moment you don't even seem to care about my existence and then you are asking my life story as if you cared a…"

"In fact I do not care about," he interrupted her. His voice was so calm it contrasted with hers, exalted. "I am merely trying to figure out what kind of person is going to take care of my goddaughter."

"It's absurd!" she exclaimed, closing her eyes briefly. Her pain was so unbearable she could not even exclaim without feeling bad.

"Go on," the Duke urged her. The calmness on his voice did not make her feel better. It merely annoyed her to no end.

"You don't care about my life story… What kind of man proposes to a woman when her life is not important?"

"Do you want me to treat you as my wife?" He leaned back against the comfortable back rest, his arm resting over the table in a very relaxed position. Even though no expression took over his features, Rukia could swear a spark of delight touched his eyes and voice even ifvery, very lightly.

"No!" she cried out. Indignation filled her line. And noticing her overreaction, she continued in a moderate tone, "Of course not!"

"Explain yourself."

And as quickly as the tide changes, his voice was back to that usual cold intonation. The amusement, if it was not Rukia's imagination, was gone. He straightened on the chair, watching her very movements.

"It simply makes no sense."

"What makes no sense?" He pressed further. "You were the one to say no," he pointed out.

When these words left his lips, Rukia curled her hands over her dress lightly. She had to brace herself not to slap him again. And only God could know how much she despised him. What was the point of saying all the time she said no to him?

Did it hurt? Or was it all about his masculinity and his social position? Perhaps because of his inability to lose and keep his mouth shut.

Deciding she would do better keeping her words to herself, Rukia rose up from the chair and left the napkin on the table. She did not announce she was leaving – after all he was not blind and could see it by himself.

"I did not say you were allowed to leave."

"I am already satisfied," she replied without looking at him.

He took no heed of what she said and merely ordered.

"Sit down."

"I already said-

"You are a mere preceptor, Rukia." His tone this time was sharp, like he was not going to take anything besides his desire. "Not the Lady of this House. If I say you must stay, you stay."

Rukia closed her eyes. Why did it have to be so difficult to deal with him?

"I am not feeling well… May I…"

"Are you pregnant?"

"Oh hell no!"

Her eyes shot open at his question. What that even a question? She then realized the meaning of such was a prostitute and she lived with her, so it would not be weird if she was one too, right?

"She has migraine, Your Grace," Momo interrupted their conversation by entering the room. "I am sorry if I am interrupting anything."

Rukia was still holding onto the chair, looking at him upset. He did not apologize or anything.

"Here. Get your pills." The maid outstretched the pills to her friend and a glass of water. "Permission to leave, Your Grace," Momo asked, bowing dutifully. Byakuya granted her it by merely nodding his head.

"May I leave, Your Grace?" Rukia asked one more time.

He did not reply for a time, merely kept looking at her, analyzing her expression. When he finally rose up from his chair – and Rukia would say it took an eternity – he asked.

"Why did it bother you to talk about your life?"

"Because I don't remember my life story. I have no memories before London!" She snapped back indignant. "Satisfied?"

**###**

…_I have no memories before London…_

He looked at his own image reflected by the mirror and adjusted the lapels of his coat. Her voice somewhat struggled and mad did not leave him alone.

It was almost ten in the morning and her whispered confession was still replying in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, he simply could not.

Byakuya recognized he should not have pressed her so much.

He felt guilty.

And feeling guilty was something he did not like the minimum. He did not want such feelings. Not now. Not never. Not because of her – who could be a traitor.

Nonetheless, he knew pretty well where they were coming from. It was all because of her appearance. Because she reminded him so much of Hisana.

As much as he knew about Rukia she could even be responsible, even if not directly, for Hisana's death.

He could not know.

But he would find it out soon. That very night, after his return from Newgate, he would have a meeting with the detective he hired to get some information about her life.

Deep inside, Byakuya hoped she was not to blame, because if she was…

He did not have time to conclude such dangerous thought, for Chōjirō's voice interrupted him, announcing.

"My Lord, your horse is ready."

Byakuya did not voice anything; he merely opened the door and greeted his butler with an inexpressive stare.

**###**

_Pleasant…_

That was the perfect word to describe the Duke's winter garden. Rukia was there sitting with Yachiru for at least half hour practicing her reading skills.

To be honest, the girl was better with books than numbers. Her ability to calculate and deal with numerical probabilities was awful. The painting classes were not performed that day, but delayed for the next one.

Of course the brat girl did not like the idea, but did not complain nonetheless. And that was a surprise. Rukia was used to spoiled ladies and children, so she did not expect Yachiru to obey her so easily.

But… and there were so many _buts _in such good conduct she hoped she did not have to list them someday. Rather, to be confronted by them… or _follow_ _them._

Her headache was not better yet and Rukia was already accepting the possibility to have to consult a doctor. She did not want it, though. She did not have sufficient money to see a good doctor, one who could really say what her headache was and not merely state it was an excuse to escape hard work.

Needless to say it did not please Lord Barragan not even the tiniest bit. Rukia could never forget how much she had to hear from him that day. Lots of money spent over a stupidity he could heal by slapping her ass.

Rukia sighed. It was not the only one thing that bothered her. She also had to give part of her money to rebuild the theatre. The reform was not ready yet and she doubted it would be anytime soon. It would take a few months before they could see anything through the wreckage.

It was so quick no one could ever understand. They were all in Hisana's dressing-room helping her with her clothes. That was the last night she would perform any play. Of course the public did not know she would leave for a few days for Rukia would replace her in the stage. It would take two more exhibitions and they would be done this season.

But then it happened…

…Before all of them could act upon it, fire had taken over the entire place. Curtains, carpets and finally the woods. Everything was on fire. None of them could do anything to extinguish it.

The gray smoke was everywhere and the whole building was hot, very, very hot. It did not matter it was raining lightly outside. It was not sufficient enough to tame the wild flames.

Through the thick curtain of yellow, orange, red and gray they could not see anything and desperate to survive, all of them ran for their lives. Everyone managed to escape, but Hisana…

…She died.

No one could see her. No one could find her and when Rukia tried to get back to her, to save her, Pesche and Matsumoto held her tightly. She could not escape.

Her body was so unrecognizable no one dared to look at her face during her burial. The coffin was locked so none of them would have to bear looking at such painful image.

But the fact Rukia could not look at her face one more time just made it even hard to take. The bitterness in her soul would not go away to the rest of her life.

Lady Hisana was dead.

And it was her fault.

"Are you even there, Lady Rukia?" The sudden girlish voice startled the raven-haired girl, causing her to drop her book and look at Yachiru with wide-open eyes.

"Y-Y-Yes…" she stammered with her own words. "I am sorry, Lady Yachiru."

"Don't bother…" The girl merely waved her hand. "I was already bored. Do I really have to read every single day?"

Straightening on her sitting position, Rukia took her time to ease her bad feeling and clear her throat.

"Of course not," she said, closing the book. "But reading is good, don't you think?"

"I disagree," Yachiru stated vehemently. "My mom reads all the time. It turns out she is scary."

"Well… I do ready every day. Do I look scary?"

Yachiru merely shook her head. No, she was not scary.

"Not at all." She smiled briefly. Then she furrowed her brows and started, "I would rather be painting right now. Why…"

"I have already told you, haven't I?" Rukia cut her midst of her sentence. Yachiru was good on complaining and when she started it, no could ever shut her up. "Tomorrow."

She could almost see the little bratty girl rolling her eyes. And to be very honest, she could not say she did not understand the girl. She did. It must have been very boring for her to have such busy parents and no child around to play with her. Studying only was not as good either.

"Alright then." She closed the book and got up a little bit clumsily. She was a little bit too short for her dresses and the hem always hit the floor, trailing it after her.

Rukia felt mixed feeling about it. She was happy she was not the one to wash her clothes, but she felt sorry for whoever did it.

The big clothes made her look like a doll – which could be whether cute or scary if one think she really knew how to make everyone do whatever she wanted.

"What were you thinking of?" Her sudden question caused her preceptor to look at her and furrow her brows. "Were you thinking of my uncle?"

Awkward silence filled the room for a few moments. Rukia had no idea of what she could possibly say. Even though she was not properly thinking o him, she was thinking of Hisana who was _closer _to him and one thing lead to another and so on.

"Does it feel good? Lady Orihime always speaks of love as good thing. I think it's boring and my uncle is so…"

"Alright we can play now!" Rukia announced trying to get the kid distracted. It worked quite easily.

"Really?" Her pinkish eyes sparkled in delight.

"Really." Rukia picked both books and opened the door of the winter garden.

"Can we play hoops?" Yachiru asked trailing her way behind her preceptor.

"Sure. Why not?"

"Yeeees!" Her yell was so loud Rukia was afraid everyone in the household had heard them. Looking back at the girl, she narrowed her eyes, which did not go unnoticed by the girl. She apologized and forced a smile. No explanations were needed because Yachiru already knew it was not polite.

They crossed the entire mansion in silence, when they were about to enter the library to return the books to the shelf, the girl whispered very, very softly between a hellish smile.

"Also… don't think that I am done with the questions about you and my uncle because I am not, Lady Rukia."

Of course the little brat did not see her preceptor's eyes growing bigger, but Rukia could not have reacted any different.

Oh hell she would whether end dying with Yachiru's intrusive questions or… killing the girl.

**###**

Newgate was as old and horrible as he recalled. On his heels, a Priest followed him. His heavy breath informed the Duke that he was already tired. He did not stop, but slowed his step nonetheless.

Hachigen Ushōda was the Priest of Newgate, the one who collected the prisoner's regrets before their final sentence, who also prayed for the prisoner's souls _after_ their death, who also helped with the interrogatory issues. Some of those prisoners would not talk to any police-man, but why not to a Priest, who represented God on Earth?

He was begging the Duke to prey over Love's dead body before he could be cremated. Byakuya had no problems with that if that was what Love wished. But it was not.

Love was an unbeliever. He did not trust any deity. And after War, after what he saw, after what all of them saw, Byakuya could not blame him for not being able to believe God.

He did not believe it himself.

"Excuse me, Your Grace," the kind man started, "But do you really think that it is right to leave it as that?"

Byakuya did not have time to reply for an annoying voice spoke first.

"Hey fatty, leave the dead man alone!"

It was Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez. As always he did not respect anyone. It did not matter the Priest was way too old than they, that he was a Priest and that he was treating them politely, even if his repeated questions was annoying.

"Love did not believe your God, why are you trying to force it?"

"Pardon me, Inspector Grimmjow, but I…"

"Do as he said," the Duke spoke for the first time, visibly displeased with both presences there. "And leave us."

"Of course, Your Grace," the Priest bowed his head and turned on his heels. He waddled on his way back to the other direction of the corridor. The old wooden floor creaked under his weight. His steps were slow and so were his words when he looked at them over his shoulder and spoke, "I will pray for his soul nonetheless."

"Go prey for your round ass, fatty!"

"I will pray for your soul too, Inspector Grimmjow."

"Go fu…"

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez," the Duke interrupted him before he could finish his filth sentence. "Follow me."

They walked for few more seconds. Grimmjow was whistling a song Byakuya could not recognize but did not care though. When they finally crossed the last gate towards a patio, he Inspector finally shut his mouth and stared at Love's body placed on the coffin.

Shinji was already there, his smile this time was not plastered on his face and Byakuya felt grateful for it. Different from Grimmjow who did not have manners, Shinji in fact knew exactly the due time to show his big and bright teeth.

"You are both late," he stated, but did not smile. He was wearing formal clothes to say goodbye and pay his respects to their partner. "We were about the start that stuff without you."

"Cremation… right…" Grimmjow muttered to himself.

He was slightly surprised. Cremation was not common between poor people at that time because it was expensive, but that was Love's wish and after so many years of battling together, Byakuya could not deny him it.

If it was on War, they could burn his body in a quickly made pyre, but that was not the case. So the Duke decided to pay all the costs of his cremation himself. And that lead to another reason why the Priest was so worried. Corpses should be buried, so their souls could transcend this existence and go to the Heavens, if they were burn it would not be possible. But Love was an atheist, transcending was not one of his concerns.

Everything was improvised, even the place to burn him was. He wore his military uniform. All his precious items from that time were with him: his medals, his sword and his _flintlock musket. _Even the picture of his old mother, who thought he died during the War time, was there, placed with him.

The servant closer to them looked at them asking permission to start burning the body. It was immediately given by the Duke. The three man on the patio stared at the coffin being closed and pushed it to a kind of oven.

Their respects were then paid. No word left their lips. They just stood in hard line, watching the flames licking and swallowing the dark coffin and their partner body inside.

It did not take more than a few minutes before the Duke turned his back to it and started leaving for another commitment.

"He left it for you, Kuchiki," Grimmjow reached it out for him.

Byakuya took it on his hand. A small dark notebook whose writing style was nothing alike to common diaries.

_Good,_ Byakuya thought, _another_ _cryptic book to solve._

"Shinji, you know what to do," he looked briefly at his assistant, before disappearing in the corridors of the Prison.

**###**

It was already late at night when Rukia finally finished planning what she would teach to Yachiru next day.

She was hungry again.

Once the Duke was not at home to have dinner with her – and she could not be gladder for it – she ate with Yachiru earlier. Different from the girl she did not go upstairs to sleep, but instead to study a little bit and _look for the damn notebook._

Once again it was a frustrated attempt. It was not where on the library and she was still questioning herself why she decided to look for it there. Of course it would not be in such obvious place. But she had to give it a try. Perhaps…

Well… It was not such a stupid idea. He could have stored it there exactly because it was so huge it would be difficult to find it.

It was not there though. She spent most of her time there, looking for that _useless_ notebook. When she went to her room to prepare her next activities for the day she was already hungry.

Now she was starving.

Without bothering about her clothes or her lack of clothes – she was merely wearing her slip and her robe –, she left for the kitchen. It was probably empty at that hour.

She crossed the corridors of the Mansion in silence, closing firmly her robe in case she bumped against any other servant. It was not the case, though and when she arrived at the kitchen she found it almost dark.

A few lampshades illuminated shyly the place. It was not empty as she thought. An unknown man was sitting on a big table placed near a wall. He was not looking at her and his head was slightly turned down. A plate and some crumbs of bread were on the table and his fingers were a little bit dirty.

"Hi," Rukia started. "I am sorry if I am…"

She did not finish her sentence for he looked up and fixed his grayish eyes upon her.

_Such stare…_

Startled, she walked backdoors to the point where her back met a wall. It did not yank any reaction from him.

A few seconds went by in silence. None of them spoke anything looking at one another. Gray locked on violent. Their eyes did not slide not even a little bit.

It was only when he rose up from his seat and looked walked silently to out of the kitchen that Rukia blinked repeatedly.

_Those three scars on his face… _

…She knew them.

But… From where?

**###**

_Brooks's_ could be considered a very… pleasant place if it was not the kind of man who usually frequented it. Honestly, Byakuya thought the world could be a little bit better if it was not for some people who lived in it.

He averted his eyes from the drunken men on the other table and looked back at the man he was talking to.

The detective cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses on his nose lightly.

"I am afraid, Your Grace, she is not connected to Hisana's death."

_As expected… _he thought to himself. It was one doubt he could remove from his list. It was not surprising, though. Byakuya already expected she was not to blame.

He continued to look at the man sitting in front of him. He waited as the detective drank water lightly, before giving him more information.

Uryuu Ishida was a young detective and very reliable. The Duke knew he could trust him any research he needed to. The man would always bring the more information he could as fast as possible and it would never fall on unwanted ears.

"The fire was clearly ignited by something or… _someone."_ He stressed out this word. "Lord Barragan, however, did not want it to be investigated. He said it began for negligence."

Byakuya listened to everything very carefully. He did not know that. He already knew in which circumstances Hisana died, but he expected it was already investigated and it was finished.

Why would Lord Barragan do such stupidity?

"About Lady Rukia…"

He suddenly stopped when a waiter approached them and extended a small tray with a piece of paper for the Duke. He took it and merely nodded his head, waiting the waiter to go away to speak.

"Go on."

"She has arrived from the Continent four years ago. She was born in Spain and she has lost all her memories…"

Byakuya did not listen to the end of his sentence. Till that time everything the detective said was not new for him. All information matched what he already knew.

"She was adopted by Lady Hisana, but she did not receive Lady Hisana's surname, but one of her fellow actresses, Lady Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck."

_And that was the origin of her surname._

"For a few months she lived on the streets, stealing some dandies and other people around. She also helped a few little children who also starved to death."

_Helping people… _

As he stopped talking, Byakuya merely nodded his head, indicating he wanted to know more.

"When she was about to be arrested, Lady Hisana intervened for her safety and adopted her. Although she became a maid and actress whenever Lady Hisana did not feel like acting, she continued to help street children."

_Continued to help street children…_

From what he had heard, nothing that could attest she was dangerous was said. Not even that she was _alike _Hisana.

_Robbery but not whoredom… _

She was too good to be real.

Was she even human?

"Is there anything else?"

Byakuya was bored with what she was hearing. From time to time he looked slightly at the drunken men in the other table. He would likely stay away from one of them and the problem he could represent, but to be honest, he was too far annoyed with him and it was from a very, very long time.

"Yes," Uryuu cleared his throat. "She killed a few man."

Such statement caused him to look quickly back to the detective.

"Pardon me." He was surprised, even though his voice and face showed nothing.

"She killed a few man. I do not know in which circumstances it happened, but it was before she came to London."

"Is it related to…

The man rose up from his chair and walked to his table.

…Count Gilga?"

"No," Uryuu glanced at the drunken man approaching them clumsily out of the corner of his eyes. He then turned around, this time walking as proper for his social position and headed to the exit. His mad eyes never left them. "He is the lover of Lady Nelliel and Rukia is also eng…

He could not finish his sentence for Byakuya rose up from his seat.

"Excuse me, detective Ishida."

He did not give any explanation for his sudden departure. He did not have to. The detective was smart enough to understand the reason.

The one approaching them was Count Gilga… And everybody in that city knew they had unfinished business since the War times. And the ones who did not know this story were certainly aware of the Count's sudden and harsh approach to the future Duchess on the Schiffer's Ball.

No one needed to be a genius to know that the morning newspapers would be filled with uncountable and exciting news.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I would not finish this chapter like that, it would have one more BR interaction, but it turned out a little bit different. **

**It's good for me because the chapter doesn't get too big and boring and I can have more interaction between them in the next chapter. Also, I would have to finish Rukia's scene, that I left this way and it would also get a bit in the way of the name of this chapter and my intentions for it.**

**I hope you don't mind Yachiru's is a little bit OOC. Very, very OOC, I know. But I simply don't know how to portray her. We haven't seen her too much... but when she shows up she is always being a brat, that's the characteristic I tried to put here. Hope it's not too bad xD If it is, please tell me and I'll think in a way to make it more authentic. **

**I know you are all worried about Rukia's bad feeling towards the Duke, but everything will turn out okay. But it's necessary for the drama and the story right now. ****Byakuya is still a little bit cold with Rukia. And I know he might sound a little bit OOC asking those hard questions. He was mean to her. I know. But he doesn't trust her… yet…**

**Once again he did not hear she's engaged. The first time Rukia almost said it, but gave up and this time he cut Ishida's sentence. What do you think it will turn out? **

**As for this ending… I would put one more scene between Byakuya and Gilga, but to be honest, it gave me a few ideas for the next chapter, so I left it this way hehe and because it's another cliff :) **

**Aaaaaaaand, I would like to say next chapter may take a few more days than one week. Would please stay with me? ****I'm not really a very, very quick author, I have just posted the other chapters so quickly because they were already ready xD. But I'll do my best to update till 12/12. If not… See you on 12/19 okay?**

**If you are not mad at me, would you mind reviewing this chapter?**

**Thanks and Take Care you all,**

**Velvetsins.**


	5. The difficult task of apologizing

**Hello, people! Merry Christmas! **

**First of all, I would like to apologize for the delay. I promised to update earlier (12/19) right? And it turned out that I didn't. I have no suitable excuse other than that I am lazy (always haha) and that I didn't feel like this chapter was good enough. I rewrote it endless times to the point I found it was good enough to be updated. **

**Special shoutouts to **Emily **and to your heartwarming review. I loved it and I am honored that you felt like reviewing this story. If you still feel like, tell me what you think about this chappie, ok? Anyway, this chapter is my Christmas gift to you.**

**And also to Flavia who helped me a loooooooot with this chapter. If it is up today, it's only because of her.**

**To the beautiful who asked me **(Zoyence Abigail) **if I would drop this story the answer is 'definitely no, darling'. I'm just a lazy ass. Hope you forgive me xD **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5. The difficult task of apologizing<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Dear Diary, is this possible to hate someone so much one day and not so much afterwards?"<em>

The freezing air touched Byakuya's face when he left the Brook's. He had his hands pocketed and his expression was emotionless as always. If he was feeling anything, no one could say for that irreproachable mask did not denounce it. Up in the sky, a pale and shy moon witnessed both men staring at one another. Nnoitra smiled at him foully. The act, of course, was not reciprocated.

"I thought you would ran away completely scared."

"Go home, Count," he advised in a low tone, ignoring his disrespectful words. "You are drunk."

"Aren't you mad at me for having hurt your Duchess?"

Yes. He was. And at the same time he was not. He was ignoring his own selfish desires to beat Nnoitra's ass for that matter.

The Duke remained silent however. He could have hurt Rukia, but she had hurt him too. As far as he was aware, they could possibly be related and _very_ _intimately._ And Rukia's safety was none of his concern.

_No… He is the lover of Lady Nelliel and Rukia is…_

He did not remember the rest of his line, if he had ever had time to finish it properly. It did not matter nonetheless.

In fact he was not concerned abouther, but he surely thought he was because she was too alike Hisana.

He shook such thoughts. Regardless their similarities, they were not the same… They would never be.

Silently, Byakuya walked to where his horse was, but a very tipsy Nnoitra followed him. Needless to say he was ignored. No matter how much Byakuya wanted to make him pay, he could not simply kill him. He did not do it when he had the chance and he would not do it now.

"I know you blame me for your father's death."

These words caused Byakuya to straighten his back. He did not look back though.

He and the entire London blamed him and he had all the reasons to. Nnoitra was indeed guilty, he knew it. He merely did not have all the proofs to hang him up… _Yet._

Back in War, Count Gilga was a spy who worked for the Crown. He told them whatever French's commandants decided, whatever they did. However, he did not warn them about the Battle of Trafalgar. Because of him Sojun Kuchiki died.

The Duke knew he did not tell them because he worked for France, not England as everyone thought. It could have been worse if they had told Nnoitra about the undertaking in Waterloo. They kept it as a secret and they won. Simply as that.

"You know you cannot blame me." He smirked mischievously. Although Byakuya could not see his face, he could swear all his bright, big and scary teeth were there for all to see. A sadistic smile that only the barbarian could wield.

"Do not be so sure of yourself, Count," he merely replied.

Yes. He did have the proofs indeed, but he still needed to translate them. Once it was done… the word _game over_ came to his mind.

"Somebody told me you have _that_ the translator is dead, Duke… So what are you going to do?"

It was not sufficient to provoke Byakuya. More indifferent than a statue, he continued to march towards his black horse, this time ignoring Nnoitra's words for real.

Nonetheless, Nnoitra was drunk and only God could possibly read those people's mind. He did not give the Duke time to move away and instead pointed his sword at him. The icy tip almost reached Byakuya's nape.

"I am not going to repeat myself, Count: point this sword down."

"Why? What are you going to do? And I am really willing to try."

The answer he had been seeking for came as quick as a lightening shredding the sky. Byakuya grabbed Nnoitra's sword and forced it against him, causing the hilt to hit his stomach and fall loudly to the paved ground.

The lack of air that took over Nnoitra was not sufficient to make him recognize he was not able to fight. On contrary. Smiling madly, he went against Byakuya, but was blocked by him.

It did not prevent him from trying again and always get the same reply. By the end of three minutes or so, the Duke had blocked uncountable and unsuccessful blows dealt by his opponent.

Stomach, arms and legs. Everything that could push him away without causing any more damage than the future discomfort next day was hit by Byakuya, but it was not sufficient to make Nnoitra give up. Once he knew the Count was drunk he tried to go easy on him, but in response, he got reckless advances.

Each time he was hit, Nnoitra's smirk grew frighteningly bigger, making Byakuya feel disgusted.

When he moved with further careless and got his mouth and nose hit, he did not have any other option instead of spitting some dark blood on the white snow.

"And you know that bitch of yours?" He licked his lips. "Hisana Louisebarn… I slept with her more than once… She tasted ever so… so sweet."

He was clearing provoking the Duke, trying to get him out of control. It did not happen for Byakuya knew it was a blatant lie. He had Nnoitra on his hands, holding him exactly by the lapels and all he could think of was how stupid he was for telling such lies.

"And Rukia…" This time he licked his lips even maliciously.

At the mention of her name, Byakuya's hands curled on his lapels a little bit.

"She's too alike Hisana even in the moods. Said no to you and to me. But when I put my hands on that little bitch…"

"Stay away from her," he warned in a very dangerous intonation.

"Or what? Will you kill me?" His smirk was so defiant it annoyed Byakuya. "Do it and prove the whole court you are the monster they think you are."

His words seemed to have no effect upon the Duke, but he stopped and looked at Nnoitra's eyes for a while. As he realized the Count really meant what he said about Rukia, he hissed,

"You little piece of trash," he said letting go of his opponent and letting him loose balance on his heels.

"Kill me! Do it!" Nnoitra provoked him. "Prove them you are a fucking monster!" He continued to tease, but it did not reach the Duke. Not anymore. It, however, amused him to no end. His smile was gone now and a rough and sadistic laugh filled the empty space. He was leaning against a wall, holding onto his knees not to fall, but his bursts of laughter made it all harder.

He fell to the floor, eyeing the Duke this time grab the reins of his horse and climb it up graciously. His face remained unaffected as he started at him once again, his vision now blurred by the loss of blood.

"Take care, Duke…" At noticing he was not being observed, he slowly reached out his hand to get something on his upper pockets. "And of your belongings… Someone may have been looking for them… You know…"

This time he got Byakuya's fully attention and pointed his gun at him. The first shot did not reach him, but it was sufficient to scare the hell out of his horse and make the animal ran madly to the exit.

It did not prevent Nnoitra from continuing to shot aimlessly. Byakuya lay down on the horse, crossing the gates of the back of the Brooks's. Another din followed him and this time he had to grit his teeth.

A single drop of blood stained the immaculate snow.

**###**

_Three scars… Three scars… Three… Scars… Scars…_

She could not forget those scars on his face. Did it hurt? Who printed them on his young face?

Regardless of such inner questionings, Rukia did not care so much about it as it first seemed. _The pain… _For some reason she expected it hurt like hell.

When such evil thoughts crossed her mind she apologized to God, asking him to forgive her and enlighten her thoughts.

She did not know the coachman, true, but there was something about him she did not like. His eyes… The 69 tattoo on his face… the way his lips pursed together once he saw her… It did not match.

The petite preceptor shook her head and caressed the horse once again. The animal whickered in delight. It was a freezing night, but despite the snow outside she was on the stall close to the horses. Doing what she did not even know. Actually she did. She was there because she expected to meet him and ask '_do we know each other?' _to know why she felt like she had met him, even if it seemed distant… like in another life.

He was not there, however.

The coachman was nowhere on her line of sight. And for some reason it tranquilized her.

What if his answer was yes? What if they really knew each other? What if… He was someone important she could not remember?

_What if…_

Too agitated to go back to her bedchambers and get some well deserved sleep, she continued there, frozen in place, looking at the Duke's horses.

They were gorgeous, their fur gleamed in the dim orange light of the lamps, so well treated those abandoned children on the streets would envy their life. Their bays were filled with fluffy hay and fresh water, changed from time to time so it would not get too hot in the summer or jellify in the winter. All of this so they could be ready whenever the Duke needed them.

And they were also sweet as they accepted her caress with a low neighed. She stroked one by one, taking her time to run her fingers on their fur, long ears, mane and big muzzle.

She was already relaxed and sleepy when one of them moved its head suddenly, causing her hand to drop down and shock against the wood. She shook it a few times before looking at the entrance.

The animals were all hectic, neighing and looking at the entrance of the stall, but after a few minutes, nothing happened.

Yawning, Rukia just shook her head and went indoors, directly to her room.

She missed the Duke and the trail of blood he left behind him.

**###**

A trail of blood followed him as he crossed the gates of his mansion. Despite the uncomfortable feeling, he did not voice or expressed anything as he dismounted his horse and removed his coat.

Due the advanced time into the night, he did not expect anyone to come to greet him, so he was slightly surprised when he heard the coarse voice of his coachman.

"Your Grace." The man was not facing him directly on the eyes, but instead he kept focused on the blood trailing its way to the ground covered in hay.

In their cells, the animals all became too frantic with the smell of blood, shaking their ears and moving their muzzles, not to mention the loud whinnying noise that could wake up the entire house.

He looked up to his servant and narrowed his eyes slightly at the reminiscence of what he saw there. Was it _happiness? _

No.

Hisagi was not happy. He had never seen the man smile not even once in his entire life — and Hisagi worked for his family for too long he could not even remember how many years.

Happiness was certainly a word that the man did not recognize, that he did not know as existent in his entire life.

It smelled of _satisfaction._

"May I help you, Your Grace?"

Byakuya did not reply anything for a while, analyzing the intonation of his voice.

It was not satisfaction merely. He was… _triumphant._

He looked down at his bloodied hand and handled the reins of his black horse to him, who took it quickly with a bow of head.

It did not go unnoticed by Byakuya that he liked to keep his face hidden to not show his emotions. In this case, to hide his, he really chose to use this word, _happy _moment.

"Once you are done with him, you may retire for the night," he instructed walking past him directly to his bedchambers where he knew no one would appear to annoy him.

The Duke did not need to turn his face backwards or fully look at him to know when he mumbled his good night wish he was smirking.

He also did not need to think too much to figure out why everyone in the house did not like Hisagi.

As for him, it was just a reminder of why he was keeping him close.

**###**

Byakuya have always loved the silence, but never like in that day as he toured the corridors of his empty and dead-silent Manor. The dim light he saw occasionally did not bother him. On contrary, the less he saw them turned on, the better. It meant he would not have to face worried faces and the usual and annoying comments.

It also meant no one would show up to tell him he should not mix alcoholic beverage and an injury.

It meant he was left alone and in peace to take care of _that_ himself. Like in old days… when his father was still alive and the weight of being the last of the line was not so heavy to carry over his shoulders.

When no one treated him as if he was forty years old and about to die of some serious disease without producing the so expected heir.

He opened the door of his bedroom, noticing that Rukia's was slightly open. He narrowed his eyes.

_Robbery but not whoredom…_

He swallowed a bit of his malt whisky and closed his eyes as it ran down his throat burning everything on its way.

_Robbery…_

Was she expecting to steal something from him? Was that what she wanted from him?

But steal what?

He even approached her room, placing the already empty bottle on the carpeted floor and opened the door slightly, careful to not make any rough noise.

He already knew it would not happen. Every damn door in that house was duly oiled and repaired in order to not to make any noise and distract him in the middle of his worktime — he took extra care at knowing Yachiru would spend some days with him.

She was laying in the middle of the giant canopy bed. Her small body on the mattress did not move as he took a few steps towards her, analyzing her sleepy form.

Her back was turned to him and from where he was, all he could see through the faint light that came from the opened door was the line of her delicate waist and tantalizing curve of her hips.

She stirred in her sleep and ended with her head half turned to him. He took in the sight of her dormant face. Her pinkish lips were a little bit opened and her big eyes were closed. Her lashes as long as he remembered on their first meeting.

He descended his eyes upon her and stopped on the curve of her creamy neck almost off the pillow.

The same creamy neck he had planted his lips the night they met. Where he breathed her scent and hugged her close to him as if his life depended on it.

The night he mistook her for…

He stopped these thoughts before they could turn into something else. Before they could awaken more memories of her body pressed against his.

Byakuya knew why it was haunting him. It was all because of the alcohol.

His hand was already curled into fists and he only took notice of it when he felt a harsh pull on his arm. A few droplets of blood trailed down his skin and leaned on her mattress.

When he saw her petit nose stirring, he decided to walk back to where he should have gone at first: his bedroom.

He did not care about closing her door — she did not do it in first place — and gathered the bottle from the floor. It escaped through his fingers and he realized he was already losing the control of his body's reflexes.

The bottle drummed on the floor and it took him a moment to finally get it back. He did not bother if the sound could awake anyone.

It could for sure… But it certainly would not bring anyone to his bedchambers so late at night. Everyone knew the rules, except…

_Her…_

**###**

As soon as noise of something drumming on the floor came to her ears, Rukia's eyes shot open.

In a second, she was sitting on the mattress, fully awake. She looked at every corner in her room, looking for source of such noise.

She found nothing.

Worried, she went to the door that connected her room to Yachiru's. But she highly doubted anything had happened to the kid. If it had… she would have heard a cry or a scream, wouldn't she?

Opening the door as careful as possible, she noticed everything was completely fine with the girl. No scratches on her face or body as far as she could see. Her breath, heartbeat and pulse were also normal.

Yachiru was sleeping like a normal child. Which was more than expected of the bratty.

As for the room, everything was in its due place. Nothing crashed. Windows closed. Nothing had fallen to the floor.

Calmer now, Rukia closed the connection door and walked back to her bed. But then and just then she noticed her door completely opened.

She narrowed her eyes and approached her bed, noticing another thing she had not unto now.

_Blood._

She flung out of her room, looking for the source of the noise. Her heart raced even though she already knew to whom it pertained.

**###**

"Your Grace," she spoke breathlessly. "Is everything…"

He did not looked at her as he pressed his left arm to relief the pain, but only made it worse. A fillet of blood ran through his fingers, staining his white shirt.

Rukia's eyes popped open as she saw that amount of blood there. She ran up to help him, completely forgotten she still hated him, but was stopped by his harsh voice.

"Stay where you are."

"But…" She could not understand his refusal. "You are bleeding."

"It is merely a scratch," he ensured walking towards the door to lead her out. He hoped she would follow him and leave him alone, but when he last noticed the preceptor was right behind him, watching his every move.

"I said…" He gritted his teeth lightly to ease the pungent pain.

"Wait here," Rukia said nonchalantly walking past him. She ignored his commands and habit of ignoring her or causing her to stay away from him when he felt it was convenient.

The Duke was obviously afflicted by the _scratch._ And obviously that was not _only _a scratch, he was just stubborn as hell and would never admit it was not that simple, she thought to herself while stepping forward and forward.

The sleepiness left her body by the time she heard the noise on the corridor and now she knew its origins. Now she would take anything but sleep. And obey him for that matter was not in her plans.

He was the one who did not listen to her, though. He followed her, his arms falling beside his body. Both hands were dripping blood to the floor, staining it slowly behind him.

"I said wait here," she repeated, rolling her eyes as she entangled her hands on his. She did not care it was now dirty with his blood, let alone cared about the look on his face. She merely ignored him and kept walking towards the sofa placed on the anteroom.

It did not take too long before Byakuya could disentangle their fingers. He did not like that electricity shock that ran through his body as he touched her, even if it was fleeting. Rukia did not seem to care also, for she moved two steps away from him as his knees met the edge of the sofa.

He fell down soundly and she took a better look at the blood on his white shirt. She had not seen the _scratch _yet, but she bet it was not that good as he wanted to make her believe.

"Hm… I will get the first aid kit."

He did not know where that first aid kit was stored once Chōjirō was the only one responsible for keeping these things, but he did not care though. She was probably aware of that because she was now responsible for Yachiru and only God could possible know what the petit demon would do to have some fun.

Once her footsteps died on the corridor, Byakuya rose up and took a better look at his own injury. It was horrible. In spite of the dim light that shyly illuminated the room, he could see the deep carmine that stained his shirt and skin. He touched around the injury and saw it was still there. The bullet. Small and golden, shining through the amount of blood.

So it was not merely a scratch.

Well… At least it was on his rib cage, also hit by that or another bullet. He could not precise.

_Damn Gilga._

He was so entranced trying to figure out how to remove the bullet before she could go back, he did not notice her soft footsteps entering the room again.

"Ugh…" She exclaimed as she saw the little pool blood on the floor.

Her voice caused him to stop staring at the injury and look for something alcoholic. If they were in his study room he would find easily a bottle of whiskey or brandy, but they were in his anteroom and he did not keep alcohol close. He ran his eyes on the shelf till he found it. A very old bottle he had already forgotten.

A gift from his father.

One of his favorite drinks.

_Sake. _

"Leave it there and go back to your room," he said, filling a glass with some of the Japanese drink. The white liquid ran down his throat so sweetly it burned more than the malt whiskey he was used to.

He closed his eyes at once, enjoying the feeling as the drink warmed his chest and stomach. Pouring some more, he removed his shirt, tearing some buttons apart, unaware she was still there, looking at him in silence.

"You won't be able to get rid of the bullet yourself," she said pretending she had not seen his muscled back. And in fact she was far more worried with his injury than the fact he was only wearing his pants and it was hanging loosely on his lean hips.

She drenched a wad of cotton in alcohol and took a few steps towards him.

"I said go away," he hissed under his breath.

"I won't."

He then turned to her and with his bare fingers on the injury, he yanked the bullet at once. Rukia expected to see a little grimace over his face, but if it ever happed, she was too slow to catch it.

"I am fully capable to remove the bullet." He rolled the golden metal on his fingers, showing it to her. "You are not needed anymore."

"Good for you, Your Grace," she replied rolling her eyes. It did not go unnoticed by him, who narrowed his own, facing her. He was so damn stubborn she was almost leaving him behind and going back to her bedchamber to get her so well deserved sleep. "But if you let it this way, you will be infected."

Byakuya did not reply. Arguing with her was as useless as it was with him. And although he would never admit it loud, it would be really a burden to take care of the injury by himself. Not when he was practically useless using his left hand.

When she was closer enough he gathered his shirt from the floor ready to toss it on half of his body. It did not happen though for she held his wrist down.

"Don't bother, Your Grace," she removed her hands from his skin. "I have seen many men nude so far," she continued, cleaning the surroundings of the injury. The alcohol burned his skin, but he did not voice anything. He merely looked at her as if waiting an explanation for such statement.

Rukia blushed.

He got it all wrong.

"I-I mean…" she stammered on her words. "Not the way you are…" She sighed. "I am sorry."

The Duke remained silent after her statement. Different from what she assumed, he was not thinking anything. Even more because he was already aware she was not a cheap prostitute. He did not even need the proofs from the investigator. He could say it by the blush on her cheeks when she saw him shirtless or when he looked at her that way.

Or even when he kissed her that night…

Or even because of the clothing she was wearing right now. He leisurely trailed down her young body with his very eyes. Most of it was out there for his appreciation. _Slip… Wearing merely a slip._

What kind of woman would wear such kind of clothing — or lack of, for that matter — and did not even think about seducing him? Not a slutty for sure.

Unless… She was trying to seduce someone else.

He doubted it.

But who could know? Not him for sure.

Rukia was an actress. All of that could only be a farce to make him believe she was innocent when she was surely trying to somehow impress him with her pretending indifference about him as a man and taking care of him as a person.

_What are your game, Rukia?_

Noting the awkward silence, the girl before focused on cleaning his injury continued to explain herself, as if she owed him something. For some unknown reason, she did not want him to think she was… she gulped… _alike_ Hisana.

"I worked with a nurse back in war. Helping her…"

He quickly looked up at her when these words left her lips. She was now back turned to him, gathering something he could not see in the first aid kit.

Her words drifted away… leading him to another time and another country.

_Nurse…_

Nurse, she said.

That is how he had met Hisana. As a nurse. Or so he thought at that remote time. It was a few days after he went to join his family on the War. Inexperienced Byakuya did not know a lot of things back then and got easily injured.

She was one of the few who took care of him.

Who saved his life…

_I am a…_

She did not have time to tell him what she was. But he did not take much time to figure it out either. _A prostitute, _someone said. She was not a nurse as he first thought and she merely helped him because she was ordered to.

There were a few prostitutes there on their improvised quarters in the middle of nowhere. Some men could even starve to death, but never miss a quick fuck. Hisana was there for exactly that… Give them _that._ She was not that busy as some others he could not even remember the name. All of them considered her very pretty, but _too slim._

Not him though.

Without much work, Hisana could help the nurses and doctors around. She did not seem to complain about it, and they had plenty time to talk to each other while he recovered.

Once he was well enough, he ordered her to be his and his alone. At first to help her, he did not mean to have her to himself in _those_ _terms. _But at the end it happened and when he last saw he had fallen in love.

The first needleful woke him up from his little mind-wander. Byakuya looked at Rukia as soon as her small lips formed the unwanted question and her brows twitched together.

"Who did this to you?"

He kept silent, expecting she would buy his lack of response. It did not happen though. She voiced her question once again, while sewing his wound carefully.

"None of your business," he replied, moving his arm a little bit at the uncomfortable sensation. It did not reach his face though. His eyes locked on hers as she glared at him. Of course his lack of response bothered her, but he would not say it just because she wanted to.

"I am almost finished," she announced cutting the line she used to sew the wound. It looked much better now, cleaned and closed, she concluded, looking at it carefully.

She walked back to the first aid kit and repeated the process of drenching the wad of cotton in alcohol and also got a bandage to cover the scratch on his rib cage.

From where he was, despite the dim light, he could see more of her body through the diminutive slip. _Was it transparent?_

Or was it his mind clouded by the alcohol making him see things?

He doubted.

There, leaning against a wooden furniture he could see the perfect shape of her toned legs and the curve of her small breasts.

He narrowed his eyes. Unsure whether she was trying to seduce him or not.

Even if she was not trying, the sight of her body through the flimsy fabric messed up with his thoughts and _body._

When she returned and lowered her fingers to his nude chest and moved his arm slightly to the side to clean the scratch on his rib cages, he caught her wrist in the air preventing her from continuing to take care of him.

Rukia gasped at the sudden movement and fell frontwards. She did not hit the floor for he stabilized her by leaning one hand on the small of her back, almost on her round hips. However, the cotton on her fingers fell noiseless to the floor.

It did not seem to be noticed by none of them though.

"Why are you helping me?"

Hisana was ordered to do it, but why was Rukia helping him? Why couldn't she stay away when he said her to do so?

_What kind of game are you playing, Rukia? _

"You were wounded, why wouldn't I help you?"

"I do not like repeating myself, Rukia…" he warned her in a dangerously low intonation.

She glared at him, trying her best to free herself without hurt him more. Of course it only served for him to tighten his hold over her wrists and get her even further off balance.

Rukia tried to get herself back by moving her legs, but it did not work. Rather: it worked very well to place their thighs together in a disrespectful manner. It also caused her slip to move a little bit upwards, revealing too much skin.

More than was appropriate.

More than he should see.

More than he should feel.

"What kind of game are you playing, Rukia?" he hissed his inner question. The one who kept returning to his mind very often.

His harsh intonation caused her to look up at him, eyes wide-open. She regretted it as soon as it happened. His face was so close to hers she could feel his hot and slightly drunken breath. Her breath also caught. She felt her belly tighten a little bit.

"I-I am playing no game, Your Grace," she assured him, looking down. It did not help to ease the strange feeling.

It worsened.

Her lips almost touched the firm skin of his broad chest. Eyes even more widened, she looked back at him, but did not know which angle was worse: facing his chest, her fingers almost stick at his skin or having their noses so placed together and his eyes burning on hers…

As if he was going to kill her…

_As if he was going to kiss her… _

"Why are you helping me then, Rukia?" His breath continued to trace her face arousing goosebumps on her skin.

"I told yo-

"What do you _really_ want?" he pressed. "No more lies."

"Nothing!" she exclaimed, now starting to get scared by his demeanor.

"Is that money? Is that social position?"

As these words left his lips, she pulled herself from him with all her strength, scraping his scratch in the process. She did not saw the way he squinted his eyes to suppress the little discomfort.

"Perhaps you don't believe it, but I am not the kind of woman you are used to," she stressed out the _kind of woman, _unknowingly referring to Hisana. She gathered the cotton from the floor and squeezed it between her fingers.

"I am not interested in whatsoever you have to offer, because you have nothing that I am interested in. Not in your money, not in yourself!"

Her voice was shaky as she spat out these words, but she did not prevent herself from saying them nonetheless.

"Perhaps you don't believe people may help you without second reasons."

Her burst caused him to straighten on his position to look at her. He was surprised. No, he was astonished with her sudden responses.

"And I know you won't believe me because you don't trust me. You don't trust anyone."

She turned on her heels to leave him alone, her voice and body out of control. Tears were forming on her eyes, but she held them, not wanting him to know he had humiliated her.

"You are not al—

"Allowed to leave, Your Grace? Guess what? I did not ask your permission to leave! And as for the wound…" She tossed the bandage on his face. "Clean it yourself! You don't need my help!"

As she turned again on her heels, she felt all the blood flee of her face. Standing right on the door the butler, Chōjirō, and the devilish girl were staring at them, their expressions surprised.

"Lady Ruk—

"Go back to your room, Yachiru." Two voices reached her ears all together. She looked from her preceptor to her godfather and back to Rukia again.

"But…"

"Now!" Rukia spoke, placing her hands on the girl's shoulder to guide her out of her godfather's room. She did not voice anything else as she opened the door of her room and watched her climbing onto the bed and lying her head on the cottony pillow.

She closed the door and get startled again when she saw the silent butler looking straightly at her.

Why did he have to be like this?

"Are you okay, my lady?" Chōjirō asked as she closed the door.

She did not voice anything or moved her head to answer his question. She merely entered the next door and closed it soundly. Not bothering to talk to anyone else.

For some reason, Chōjirō did not need her words to know she was not. Or to know what was the reasons of the little tears she held on the corner of her beautiful eyes.

He just did not know if it was sorrow or anger.

**###**

_The world has probably never seen such great care before. Our cold — not so cold anymore — Duke got into a fight to protect our — future Duchess I am sure now — pretty preceptor's honor._

That was the first paragraph of Lady Lisa's Column. Byakuya did not stop himself this time but he could not say he was surprised. Once he decided to follow Gilga outside he was already aware of what report that would turn out.

Even though everyone knew his reasons to abominate the Count it was more romantic to say he beat his ass because of a random girl.

_Random Girl._

That is how he treated her last night.

That is how he could have treated everyone but her.

He closed his eyes for a brief second, lying his head against the backrest of his huge chair. It hurt, not that much as when it was combined with a horrible hangover, but it still hurt. He was thankful he had Chōjirō to always give him that horrible mix he took from somewhere he did not know to cure it all.

But Kuchiki Byakuya could not blame the drink. Lean it all on the alcohol always worked for everybody, but not for him — even if everyone knew, he included, he was weak for it. He was a man and real men did not put the responsibility of their actions on something like that.

Opening his eyes, he looked at the magazine again.

_Both Lords were on the Brooks's and left after some time. No one seem to know in details what they talked or did, but we all have seen the Count visibly hurt this morning. He did not try to hide it from anyone. And the entire London now wonder: is the Duke back to killing again?_

Great.

_Back to killing again._

He closed the magazine. He did not know if he hated Nnoitra even more now or if he hated himself. He should not have done that. He should have kept himself cool, ignored his provocations and stayed away from him.

Not very long ago, he had some _issues_ with some of his soldiers during the war. He earned the homely pseudonym of _Reaper_ or _Death God._

Or simply monster…

_You are a monster… A real monster._

One of his soldiers said when Byakuya released him. He was almost dead and his murderer was majestically standing in front of him, his dead-serious face showed no regret and his fear could only increase at such sight. By his side, many of his partners face the same destiny of his: cruel death.

A good amount of blood was on the Duke's hands as he finished his job: killing those filth men. If they thought he was being cruel, he had another word to classify his actions: fair.

It was fair.

After so many battles, Badajoz was their little place to find some rest and peace, but it was ruined when some of his men decided to plunder the city, kill innocent people, rape innocent women… When Byakuya knew his men was behind such execrable actions, he did not think twice, he condemned them all to death.

Used to order, this time Byakuya did not outsourced the task, he did it by himself.

When they returned to London, he had to come to the Judicial Court to explain himself. He was merely twenty-one at that time and had killed more men than most of the older people there.

Once his actions were judged as fair and that promoted the respect of the English army, he was not charged by it, but was advised to not do it anymore.

And he did not.

Until yesterday.

And Nnoitra.

He wanted so badly to get his hands dirty with his blood. Feel his breath fade away to the point it did not exist anymore. Watch the bright of his eyes die so slowly and in such pain he did not even though possible to inflict upon someone.

But he would look for justice.

And he would have it.

He just needed a little more time and find someone who could translate that damn notebook.

_The translator is dead…_

He did not need to be remembered of it. He was too aware of such event. He was there when it happened. That is how he got the notebook.

It took place so many years ago he could not precise the real time. He just remembered it was winter and was the beginning of the year in Spain. Winter of 1808. It was not so cold there as it was in England.

Ordered by his father and grandfather he moved there to escort two young ladies to his home. He did not know any of their names, but he knew their surname: Ukitake.

Their father, Jūshirō Ukitake, was especially close to his grandfather and was a spy back in War. At that time, Spain was still with France and he was working for France. At least _apparently._ He was responsible for making up the alliance between England and Spain after the Trafalgar Battle.

He had a small diary he pointed out a high number of occurrences during the War and the name of some traitors. Everything he could report was written there, every single thing he saw during all those years of that bloody War.

The same small diary or notebook Byakuya had in his possession.

The problem was… It was encoded.

A code no one knew.

Except one of his daughters. Which one of them no one could ever know. But only one of them was able to decipher the damn code. The other held a necklace that was in fact a key to something only the carrier knew.

Simply as that.

One held a key to open something very important and only she knew it — and her father of course. And the other knew the code.

None of them could exchange their roles.

When Byakuya arrived at Spain at his seventeen — almost eighteen, a few months before he went to the War — their house was empty. At least that was what it seemed.

No sound.

No one around.

When he entered further with some of his men, he found a lot blood covering a carpet and long white strands in the middle of it. Walking further into the room, he found Jūshirō's body close to the window.

Dead.

His girls… _missing_.

A few days after Byakuya knew they were dead. Someone had found out and tell them. As for he, the young Duke was already on the security of his own house, holding in hands the notebook.

It had passed eight years since then. He had not finished the translation yet. He had not even begun.

He sighed and opened back the magazine. However, he stopped the reading for the first word was her name.

_Is Lady Rukia aware of that? Of his dark past? _

As far as he was concerned she was not. And he would not let her know. It was none of her business.

But he wondered if she was not already asking herself what was his _dark past_ and what those words of _killing again_ meant. He just hoped she would not ask when they talked.

Incidentally, he was waiting her for it.

Her words did not leave him since they left her lips.

_Trust me… Trust anyone…_

He knew she was right. It was not that difficult to admit. Not even the reasons because he did not trust anyone was.

But he would never admit out loud — neither to himself — why he could not trust her.

A few steps were heard outside.

He knew it was her long before she could knock on his door.

_**###**_

Rukia took a deep breath before she could knock on his door. She did not feel like talking to him — more like arguing, because she felt they never had a real conversation before. She did not think it would be different. Not at all.

Her head was exploding. It seemed she had not taken her pills. The dreams kept coming and she could barely sleep the whole night.

Did she even know what sleep truly was?

She laughed bitterly and shook her head.

Since she arrived to London they appeared more frequently, but since she met the Duke they started hunting her like a fox hunt its prey. Barely noticeable at first, them closer and closer unto the point it had its fangs on the prey's neck.

She was already tired of them and all she wanted was for them to stop. And stop now.

Realizing she was standing in front of his study room for too long, she finally knocked on the door, receiving an _Enter_ in response.

She rolled her eyes. She surely expected something like _you are allowed to enter_, but a mere enter would do.

"Excuse me, Your Grace," she started still at the entrance. "I heard you wanted to talk to me."

He nodded, but did not raised his eyes from his documents to look at her. He merely continued to place them all on his top drawer. He leaned the key on the table.

"You may close the door," he spoke after some time went by and he did not hear her locking it up.

_Alright, you can do it. _Rukia told herself. _You can do it without killing him._

"And you may speak," she finally said as she did as he told and he remained quiet.

Her bold remark caused him to look instantly at her and reprove her manner of speaking. He did not say anything as he would in any other occasion, once he knew he was the cause of her impatience and bad humor.

Good.

A woman with that devilish temper was all he needed and wanted in his life right now.

He felt like growling, but he did not.

"Yesterday…" he started. Why did he have to do this? Why was he doing this? He did not need to do this. So why was he doing it nonetheless? It was humiliating and he did not have done it for nobody than family before. Not even Hisana… And there he was…

"I know I was wrong. I will leave you alone next time you ask for it, Your Grace. If you excuse me…"

The petite lady headed to the door. She was not in the mood for his lecture on how she behaved improperly in front of his servant. How she acted disrespectful towards him and how that should never happen again.

She knew it.

But she was not willing to hear it all.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. She was assuming things. As always.

Gosh.

They had known each other for what? Five days? One week? Not more than that he was sure and yet they could not stop quarrelling all the time and when he wanted to talk smoothly to her — he would never use the word apologizing, it was too much for him — she was right there assuming things and leaving him alone.

"I did not say you could leave." His cold line made her stop on her tracks.

Rukia sighed.

"Please, Your Grace. My head feels like exploding. I have a noise child waiting me for the painting classes. Could you just…"

"No," he answered a little less cold now.

He felt like allowing her to go, though. It would make his life easier. But Byakuya was not a man who took the easy way. It needed to be done and what has to be done should not be postponed.

He enjoyed himself watching her talking to him. No one in his entire life treated him like this. As if they were equal. As if she did not care about his title and his power.

"I am sorry," she replied sheepishly.

But then again there she was, apologizing for her bold demeanor. What a woman!

"Sit down," he ordered and she quickly obeyed.

"Last night," he started over. "I should have…"

"Said thank you?" she helped him. As she received a death glare from him, she mumbled her used apologies and covered her own mouth in disbelief.

"Did you say thank you when I helped you?" he asked, leaning against his seat.

He would never admit it, but she amused him.

"I did not ask for your help," she snapped back, closing her eyes.

"Neither did I."

"Right. I am sorry."

Both of them knew what she meant with that apology. It was not only because of her boldness, but for she knew it was difficult for him to thank anyone.

"Thank you for your help. I do feel better today."

Rukia nodded her head. A few seconds went by in silence. Rukia thought it was what he wanted to say and was about to ask if she was allowed to leave, when he continued, catching her off guard.

"I apologize for yesterday. I did not behave as expected towards you."

That was it.

He said what he should say.

To be honest, he had even expressed his gratitude towards some people before, but never apologized. And when he said never, he really meant it.

Not for his father when he did something that was not expected from him. Not for his grandfather when he went to the War. Not to Hisana when he did not treat her well.

But there he was. Doing it for no one less than Rukia.

Someone he did not trust. Someone he could not trust.

It took Rukia a moment to really catch the meaning of his words. Did he meant that?

_For real?_

"I assure it will not happen again," he said. "And from now on I will trust people more often."

His words caused Rukia's eyes to grow as bigger as plates. Her jaw also dropped down.

Did he…

Wow!

Did her words really have such effect on him?

She was… _stupefied._

It also took her a moment to set everything back to its place and say,

"Apology accepted, Your Grace."

He merely nodded and continued to stare at her. When both of them found the silence rather awkward, he rose up from his chair and she did the same, following him out of the room.

"Do not expect me for dinner tonight," he said closing the door of his study room.

It was her time to nod her understanding. They parted ways. Rukia was on her way back to the inner yard to meet Yachiru when his voice ranged out on her ears all over again.

_Trust people more often… _

_Trust people…_

_People…_

Not _her._

"Your Grace," she called out to him.

He stopped where he was and looked back at her over his shoulder. She was walking to him, her face clouded with some feeling he wished he could not identify.

She was angry again.

Why?

"When you said trust people, did you include me on it?"

"Explain yourself," Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

What did she still want of him? Public apologies?

"Trust people, you said?" she started, taking a breath. "Is that why you left the keys of your top drawer on the desk? Is that why you did not said you trust me? Are you just expecting me to just get them and steal one of your documents, right?"

No word came out of Byakuya's lips. Not to agree with her, nor to disagree.

"Forget it!"

She gave him her back and scurried to where she should be, leaving a very stunned Byakuya behind. She only stopped when she was close to the stairs, with him following her, and spoke,

"You will never trust people fully! You will never let them in! And you know what? You don't trust them because you don't even trust yourself!"

With this, she was gone.

Byakuya went down the stairs on his own rhythm, ignoring the looks of two servants who watched everything.

He sighed.

There she was… assuming all the wrong things again.

**###**

"Problems with the girl, my Lord?" the strong voice asked him, pouring a little bit more of water on his glass.

He passed the wine or any other alcoholic beverage. He consumed it yesterday and everything ended very messed up.

A reproduction of yesterday was not in his plans.

"I am not here to discuss about Rukia," he warned in a very low tone.

Yes.

He had gone there to ask Lord Barragan a few questions about Hisana's death, but all he had heard until that moment was about Rukia. It was clear the man did not want to talk about it, so he kept deviating the focus to Rukia instead.

Byakuya did not buy his attempts and always resumed to the focus of his visit.

All along he analyzed the man. Lord Barragan was not grieving. It did not seem so. It was weird. _Suspicious,_ actually. Rukia seemed to care more about Hisana than her adoptive father.

It left a curious feeling on Byakuya and his questions became more inquisitive. He pressed the man for answers, but all he got was information about Rukia, Rukia and Rukia.

Lord Barragan also pressed him for an urgent marriage. His excuse: her reputation. He could not accept such treatment from him. And even if she said 'no' as an honorable man he should dissuade her from such crazy decision.

_As if he could… Or wanted._

"You do look more worried about Rukia's fate than Hisana's death, Lord Barragan. Why is the girl so important to you?"

In response, Lord Barragan hit his fists on the table noisily. It could have had an effect upon anyone, but him. Byakuya remained still. His face showed nothing and even in his insides, it did not shake anything on him.

It all seemed too… _too fake._

"Do not judge me for taking care of the honor of my daughter's sister!"

"Explain yourself," Byakuya said in a slow tone.

"Hisana and Rukia were sisters."

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Well… I tried to make up for the lack of updates and get you a chapter filled with BR scenes. I hope I didn't disappoint you xD I apologized if the chapter doesn't have more scenes of them, but I needed to tell some of the background to the story. Hope you don't mind! **

**I am planning on getting my chapters shorter, so I'll be able to update more often, what do you think? If I keep them around 5 or 6k, I think I'll be able to update within 7 or 10 days, if I kept them around 10k, I'll probably give you chapters twice or once a month. I'm almost with the short but frequent updates than the long a scarce ones. But I'd like to know your opinion.**

**In case you not know, Spain was lined up with France during some time of the Napoleonic Wars, but changed sides after the Battle of Trafalgar. **

**I know Byakuya is a little bit OOC and the same for Rukia. I know she would never act like this towards him in the canon series, but once it is an AU story I took the opportunity to work with her like she is with everyone else, but him, in the canon. If it is too bad tell me and I'll get things 'softer' in her way of speaking. As for him, it's because he was slightly drunk and I took it from Senbonzakura — that part of Zanpakutou is a part of the master and it reflects what the shinigami is inside and the whole episode when he got very drunk and all. Remember?**

**And for who is now like "Byakuya screw up everything", yes he did and I wanted it because I wanted him to work to gain Rukia's trust and build up their relationship hehe.**

**Also my thanks to everyone who continues to review this story and add it to the follow/alert list. I still did not reply the reviews, because I was stuck at work (last weeks) and then I traveled to the beach, but the ones I can I will, okay? **

Petal Metic,** I didn't find the due time to reply your review yet, but I'm planning on update Mesmerized next year along with Don't Close Your Heart. And yes what you said about my line it really sounded weird. I'll fix it sooner. Thanks, darling!**

**To the ones who may want, follow me on tumblr /velvetsins. Sometimes I update some things about my stories and other stuff I enjoy there. **

**And don't forget to tell me what you think, right?**

**Take care and I wish you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve.**

**My next update will take place only next year. Oh, c'mon it'll be soon! **

**Love you all,**

**Velvetsins.  
><strong>


	6. Dangerous Liaisons

**Hello, people!**

**Happy New Year!**

**Here I am again to update The Duke's Lover. This time I managed to overcome my laziness and write this chapter. Seriously, here in Brazil is so, so, so damn hot I have no interest on doing anything besides lying next to the air conditioner.**

**Special shoutouts to Flavia who always helps me a lot with my fanfics. Love you girl 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I own this plot.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6. Dangerous Liaisons<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Dear diary, why do I feel like this?"<em>

There he was...

Again.

He did not know what he was doing there, but when he last saw he was standing in front of her door like in the previous night.

This time, however, he was not drunk... which made his visit incomprehensible. Even crazy, some would say.

The door was closed, he concluded relieved, retreating a few steps back.

Byakuya did not know what he was doing there. What did he expect? Did he really want to find something that disproved what he had just heard?

_Hisana and Rukia were sisters._

It was stupid.

He did not need to look at their faces together to know it was true. They were practically identical. He could say they were twins; they could deceive anyone if it was not the age difference.

_They deceived him._

Actually, Rukia deceived him.

No.

He was the one who fooled himself. She had never said she was Hisana or pretended to be her. She actually seemed surprised she was mistook by her _sister._

Of course he asked if they knew it. If they knew each other and their family bounds. Hisana knew. Rukia was completely in the dark.

…_I have no memories before London…_

It seemed they did not do anything under their power to make her remember.

_Hisana did not want her to know…_

Why? He asked himself. Why would Hisana keep such a secret? It was not fair to Rukia, her own sister. She deserved to know.

_Hisana did what was best for her…_

Best for whom? Rukia or Hisana herself?

He could not see the point ofhiding such an important information from Rukia. What did they want keeping her unware of her own family? How could it be the best for her?

Lord Barragan did not explain.

He spent the whole time trying to force a marriage between both of them. There was even a suggestion of tying Rukia and carrying her against her will to Saint Paul's Cathedral.

As if she did not hate him enough.

As if she was not sufficient mad at him.

_As if…_

Why was he thinking this? He had already told himself he did not care about her opinion. He did not care about anyone's. If she hated him now and in the future, let it be. He would not do anything to change her mind.

Removing his hand from the doorknob, he walked back to his room.

It was time to sleep.

**###**

She gave up.

The sun was not in the sky yet when Rukia sat down on her bed. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and closed her eyes briefly.

She did not want to open them anymore and sleep for real, but she knew what would happen if she did it.

And she certainly did not want it all again.

_Those damn dreams..._

This time there was a man in a pool of blood… So much blood she could barely see his candid strands of hair. His opened eyes were still as glasses and opaque, lifeless.

In his dirtied hands he held a necklace. It looked like a small stone, but made of wood. It was also stained with blood and a piece of paper accompanied it. Something she could not quite decipher, but she knew it was not _that_ unfamiliar.

It was if she knew what was written in those weird letters. Was it a code?

She could recognize some of them, but she did not know him, she could not see his face for real, just his eyes. And it gave her so much pain she woke up crying. It was as if he was important to her. _Very important._

But who was he?

Who was the girl who filled her dreams?

Why didn't they leave her in peace?

Was this just a dream or…

…_Memories?_

The last possibility scared the hell out of her. It had been practically eight years since she lost her memories. Or so she thought. But it had been at least seven from the day she found herself stealing food from the street markets in order to survive. The very same day that kind and softhearted man gave her a new home.

Four since he left the world of living.

…_I have no memories before London…_

She lied. She really, really lied to him.

Again.

Rukia took no pride in lying to the Duke, but she did not trust him either. He was powerful and she knew powerful people did not care about anyone but themselves and their wealth.

Why would he care about her?

He helped her. Sure. She held no doubts he did it because he wanted a _yes _from her. He wanted her to say yes, which would never happen.

His actions, therefore, were not selfishness free. He had his own reasons to help her.

Yes.

That was it.

She could not trust him.

Because if she trusted, if she liked him, even if the tiniest bit, she would not be able to steal him.

And asking him was out of question.

Sighing, she got up and outstretched her arms letting out a long yawn. The sun would rise in a few hours, until it happened she had no time to waste thinking about reliable or selfish people.

The day would be very, very busy. The Duke was going to travel to the countryside. The Shihouin Manor in Bach.

Rukia closed her eyes.

It was not a party anymore.

The Duke was going to spend a month there. Of course he would not go alone, by himself, she would go with him and Yachiru.

An entire _fucking_ month.

She was not sure she would be able to endure his company for more than she already did. But she had to get the notebook and if she was smart she would manage to do it soon and leave him for good.

The travel would take place in two days and she had to have everything ready. Yachiru's package and hers. Rukia's belonging were already packed up and she only had to put only one thing there: her necklace.

The same necklace that reminded her so much of that one the man was holding in her dream. She opened the drawer and held it in her hands, analyzing it for a few seconds.

It was not a common necklace. It was actually a key.

For what she had no clue.

_Here have it, child._

The kind voice repeated in the back of her mind. He called her child, even if she was seventeen. Even if she was not a child anymore and was promised in marriage to a British Lord.

_What is it?_

_A k-ke-key._

His line was interrupted by many coughs. He spat some blood on his handkerchief and closed his eyes. His face was contorted in pain and all she could do was to extend his herbal infusion for he would take a sip and relax at least a little bit.

_And what does it open?_

She never received a proper answer. Just a smile. He smiled very often which softened his features and the scars on his face. His eyes did not open for a very long.

He was finally getting some proper rest.

When this small memory played back in her mind — this time she knew it was a memory and not a dream because it happened for sure —, Rukia closed her eyes for a few moments.

It was still painful to remember this. He was just the man who helped her when she was starving to death and stealing people, but he became a father to her. A father she had never had. At least, she could not remember him.

She changed her mind and put the necklace around. Afterwards she cleaned the remains of tears on her violet orbs she saw black. Everything was slowly fading away and before long, she saw herself falling back to the mattress.

A twinge reached the back of her head, and it seemed something was hitting it hard, so painful it was.

It was like a small fainting, but she was still awake although not completely in charge of her own body.

Perhaps Rangiku was right.

Perhaps she really needed to look for a doctor.

**###**

Byakuya finished the small meeting with his business partners. It was the last one before he departed for the countryside.

He was for the last two or three hours, he could not precise, with them discussing the new arrangements for his new project. Because of the snowstorm that had taken everyone by surprise the last few days in the place where the workmen were building it, the workday had been suspended. Which meant it would not be delivered in time.

Byakuya did not like it for sure.

However, at the time being, he had more important matters at hand. It was not a big problem when he had not only one, but two books to translate. He did not know what was in Love's mind to make it to them.

As if only one was not enough.

He just hoped Love had excellent reasons to put every single line of his last report in a code he could not even understand. Back in War sometimes they exchanged reports encrypted but it was nothing alike he knew.

None of his partners knew. Not even Urahara.

It did not seem alike the code in the leather notebook which meant Love had not learnt that specific code. Which also meant even if he were alive he would not be able to help them.

Back to the square one.

Byakuya was considerably tired of this.

No matter how much he looked in books about symbols none of them matched what he had in hands.

He needed _her._

The girl who could translate them. Only she could help him. No one else could. And the necklace of course.

_Two girls…_ each one with one specific task to perform. None was more important than the other was.

He traced the thin page trying to understand the code, but it was useless. Only she was trained to read it. And her father, but he was dead.

And so was she. And her sister.

He could have the notebook, but he did not have the necklace and without the necklace the translation by itself was useless.

It made them the perfect complement to one another.

He recalled his father telling him he was already promised in marriage when he told him about his first crush.

_The ones who carries the necklace is going to be your wife, Byakuya. _

Of course he was disappointed, but it clearly did not prevent him from living none of what he wanted. He would marry her one day, but he would not wait her the whole life.

It did not take too long, however. Soon he knew she was dead.

Finding another suitable woman to marry was then the elders' greatest task to accomplish.

Two knocks on the door brought him back from his thoughts. He closed the notebooks all of sudden and looked up when he heard the female voice.

"May I enter, Your Grace?" Rukia asked permission from the other side of the door. Her voice sounded tired and it had a hint of sickness.

"Enter," he conceded placing both books close to him.

Silence filled the room when she took some steps in and closed the door behind her. They had barely talked to each other since their last quarrelling on the corridor.

Actually, they spoke the strictly necessary and nothing more. If they were alone in a room which happened only once — and she did her best to get out of his line of sight as soon as possible — they would talk amenities. They would not mention their fight that day.

No one in the Mansion would.

In spite of the looks of the servants, none of them said anything. Not close to them at least. Surprisingly, Chōjirō remained quiet and did not voice his opinion as Byakuya expected.

The only one who ever dared to say something was Yachiru and she did when no one was around. Byakuya did not know if she had said it to Rukia, but she scolded him for treating _Lady Rukia_ so bad. Of course she was the one who got scolded for being so blunt in the end.

"You may sit," he commanded as he saw she continued glued to the door.

Silently, she approached the chair in front of him and sat down with a little grimace. Byakuya watched her closely, but as soon as any hint of whatever it was crossed her face it was gone.

Was she in pain?

Was it her head again?

"How are you?"

Rukia blinked a few times slightly confused. Did he really make that question?

"I-I am fine," she replied still trying to figure out the reason behind this question. "Why?"

He narrowed his eyes for a brief second.

"Oh…" She opened her mouth, realizing she was acting bold again. "I am sorry."

"Good," he replied even if he knew she was lying about her current condition. "We have a Ball to attend tonight."

Rukia was speechless for a good amount of time. It gave the Duke the due time to analyze her expression. She did not look tired, she looked exhausted. He wondered if she had ever slept for the past nights.

"Excuse me…" she started, biting her bottom lip. "A Ball?"

He took his time to reply this question. To be very honest, Byakuya did not want to appear at that Ball, but he knew what would happen if he didn't.

The invitation came from the Shihouin Manor. Yoruichi had sent it that morning. He could practically hear her voice through the sentences she wrote. The message was clear: bring Lady Rukia with you. She did not make her threat clear, but he did not need to think too much to figure out she would make him pay if he dared to disobey her.

In any other occasion, Byakuya would surely challenge her, but not now. He held no doubts Yoruichi would do something to embarrass them both. He did not care about himself, but Rukia's reputation was already too damaged to risk it.

Nevertheless, if he did show up without his _fiancée_ people would surely talk about her absence. He doubted it was in a good way.

Either way, he was already ready for what would come in the newspapers next morning. Mainly for what Lady Lisa would write about them. He could almost foresee the words she would choose to compose her text.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he nodded his head.

"But there is still too much to pack up and—"

"I have asked Momo to help you with it," he cut her off.

He looked her direct in the eyes. He could see she was not really in the mood to go out with him and let alone to discuss. Her voice was low and listless.

"But who will take care of Yachiru? I can't—

"Chōjirō," he replied curtly.

Rukia bit her bottom lip, trying to figure out another reason to her negative answer. She found nothing, so she simply said the truth.

"I would rather stay at home, if you don't mind, Your Grace,"

"I am not inviting you, Rukia. I am merely warning you."

She sighed.

Why did it have to be so difficult to deal with him?

She nodded.

Arguing with him was always useless and she felt too sick to even begin. Her quick agreement caused him to arch his eyebrow superficially. He did not expected her to agree promptly.

He descended his eyes upon her again. If Rukia was agreeing with him, it could only mean she was clearly not fine. If it was not enough, her tired features reinforced his thought.

"You are dismissed," he said after a few seconds in silence.

Slowly, Rukia rose up from the chair and walked back to the exit. Byakuya followed her with his eyes all the way. He did not lose the way she pressed her eyelids together.

"Wait," he said, causing her to hold onto the doorknob for a second. She looked back at him. "Did you get your pills today?"

"Excuse me?" Her voice was mildly altered.

He narrowed his eyes. He knew what she meant. _Why do you care? _But for some reason it was not turned into words. She had to be pretty bad not to be able to voice what was in her mind.

"Yes, Your Grace. May I leave now?"

He nodded, allowing her to go, and turned back to his notebooks. But he could not concentrate on them. Her pale face and twitched eyebrows did not leave him alone for too long.

When he last saw, he was closing the door and heading towards her. Both notebooks in hand — he did not trust anyone enough to keep away from him or _their_ _place — _he scurried out of the room, reaching her close to the stairs.

"Rukia," he called out.

"Yes," she replied startled and turned around to face him, which caused her to lose the balance. She fell frontwards, closing her eyes as if it would reduce the impact of the fall.

It never happened though.

After a few seconds waiting the fall that did not come, Rukia reopened her eyes and found herself supported by Byakuya's strong arms. He held her close to his chest, one hand on the small of her back and the other on her arm.

She took a few moments to raise up her eyes and look at him. She blushed when she saw where her hands were placed.

_Gosh._

She breathed again.

Why did she have to always put them on his chest? Where they landed, she could feel his heart and how it fastened a little when she traced the ducal pattern on the lapel of his coat.

_So you really have a heart_, she thought to herself.

"Pardon me?"

Her eyes went considerably wide. She gulped and looked at him, their faces again so close she could feel his hot breath.

"I am sorry," she said sheepishly and… _blushed madly._

He continued to watch her with his eyes narrowed. He did not voice anything for a while. Rukia was far more than bothered by it and moved slightly away from his arms.

When she put two steps between them, she noticed two opened notebooks on the floor. In a quick motion she kneeled to get them, but stopped all of sudden when his cold voice reached her.

"Don't."

It all happened too fast. Before he could even foresee it, she was falling frontwards and all he could do was hold her. When he did it, his notebooks fell from his hands. He did not think twice and chose her.

Now she was kneeled in front of him, her hands on the paper, he could not prevent himself from speaking a little louder than usual to her. She did not pay attention to him though. She seemed far more concentrated on the content.

Rukia's jaw fell slightly as she saw the notebooks. It was not the leather cover, nor the thin sheets or what else, that got her attention, but the content.

Was it really _that _code?

She ran her eyes quickly over the inscriptions. She could not remember many things of her past, but she remembered this code pretty well to know it meant trouble.

_The girl is still alive, _one read. And she could not see the other for the Duke yanked both of them from her hands.

Startled, she moved away from them but did not rose up from her kneeled position. Her mind filled with lines her benefactor told her when she arrived at his house. When she first saw these codes on a letter he was writing.

_If you ever find something written in this code just throw it away. It is highly dangerous. _

Rukia felt a shiver run up her spine as the words _highly dangerous _played repeatedly on her mind.

Then something crashed upon her and caused her to lose her breath for a while.

_Wait!_

Was it what _they _wanted her to get?

"Rukia."

She looked up, but it could not erase what she saw. And what she saw would haunt her forever.

"Your Grace," she said in a whisper, too stunned to say anything else.

He outstretched his hand to help her to get up. For the first time, Rukia did not complain and accepted his help. His hand shot again to her back to stabilize her.

They were close again.

Very close.

Some maids crossed the corridor where were and looked at them surprised. As Rukia saw their excited expressions, she tried to move away, but he did not allow, slithering one hand to her waist and the others to her wrist.

Their position was completely innocent, but for an outsider it seemed completely the opposite. Rukia's flushed face solely reinforced it.

"Your Grace," she started in a begging intonation. "Could you—

"Do you know the inscriptions?" he asked. Without even noticing it, his heart fastened a bit more.

The mere possibility drove him anxious.

Rukia bit her bottom lip.

_Highly dangerous._

_Highly… Dangerous…_

"No." She shook her head. She hoped he could not feel her heart racing or her pulse going mad.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

He did not believe her. However, he did not know the reason she was lying. Did she knew the code — could really translate it. It seemed she was reading it just a few minutes ago — or she merely knew about the notebook?

Was she really related to Nnoitra or any other of his kind then?

"Do not lie anymore."

"About?" she asked, eyes wide open.

"Your health."

Rukia opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out. It was useless to say she was fine. He knew it was a blatant lie.

"Go get some rest, Rukia. We shall see each other later."

She nodded and just then he let her go.

If she were not fully recovered until night, he would send Yoruichi a message excusing their absence.

**###**

The waxing moon shone shyly over the carriage, making Rukia think it was misty outside. The truth was it was so cold the glassed window was blurry which hindered the view.

She could always look inside — precisely at the carriage indoors or the Duke —, she knew. But she did not want to. He had been too kind — if that was a word that applied to him — during that day and she did not feel like facing him yet.

When a few minutes passed by in silence and she could not see anything outside anymore, she sighed and finally turned her face to him. At first, she did not let their eyes meet.

It was too dangerous.

Her eyes roamed the inside of the brougham carriage they were into. It was huger than she remembered from her last timethere. Completely black outside with the ducal coats of arms printed in it in gold lines and pulled by two dark horses, it looked majestic. But if one could see the inside would be more than bewildered.

It was breathtaking.

The carriage adornments were made of silver and noble wood. The Brazilian Rosewood was its skeleton and the burgundy velvet its inner lining. The ceiling was not made of velvet and Rukia felt grateful at least one single thing inside the vehicle of a different fabric. The seat and the curtains were of the same color, however.

A dim light were set over them by the small lanterns and if it was not for the fact the curtains were set aside, Rukia would barely be able to face so many details on the ceiling. Beautiful flowers were placed there. She took a moment to recognize their shape, but once she did, there was no doubt: it was a cherry blossom flower.

The same tree she had seen on his garden in the night they met.

"Do you feel better?" His voice dragged her out of her thoughts. It took Rukia a moment to recognize his words and place them together to make sense. At first it was barely a small noise in the back of her mind.

She nodded, too speechless to put two coherent thoughts together.

The truth however is that she was not _that better._ She was okay, indeed, but her head still ached. She doubted the pain would go away that day and even if she had slept and taken her pills, it had only improved a little bit.

"Rukia," he called her, making her shift her attention to him.

Their eyes met.

She wanted to move them away, however. She was afraid he knew why she was acting strangely the whole day.

The notebook.

_The damn notebook._

She could not let him know. He would kill her for sure.

"Yes, Your Grace," she replied, holding his stare as much as possible.

"You are right," he conceded, which caused the girl to move a little uncomfortable on her seat. She titled her head to the side a little bit, trying to figure out what he meant. "I do not trust you."

Rukia sighed.

"You did not have to say it aloud. I know it."

Both fell silent.

It gave her enough time to divert her face from his and stare back at the windows. It seemed they were arriving.

_Funny,_ she thought. It seemed they were traveling for quite a while, but they had not even spent more than five minutes together. They would stay a little bit more now because she knew it would not be easier to get inside the Duchess' Patio.

"I did leave the keys over my desk for you could steal the documents inside the drawer," he admitted in a firm, but low tone.

Silence took back its place between them and for the whole time they waited to enter the patio, it made no move to dissipate. Their eyes did not break the contact however.

It made Rukia feel uneasy.

For she knew it was his own way to apologize.

The words _I am sorry _would not leave his lips, however. She would not ask for them either.

For she knew he was right in the end.

She was trying to steal to him.

For she knew she was as much as wrong as he was right.

It caused her heart to accelerate and her stomach to sink. She was no better than he was. He had problems trusting people, true. But she was no saint, either.

She was probably the reason he would never trust anymore.

_Gosh!_

She was the one saying he should trust people and stabbing him on the back. She needed to apologize. She needed to do something.

Tell him the truth…

…Apologize for being lying all this time.

Tell him something… Anything…

She did not want to be responsible for breaking him that way when he was the one opening up to her.

She was…

_Monster…_

She did not want to be a monster.

"Your Grace," she called when the silence became unbearable.

He merely looked at her, waiting her to continue.

"I-I am…"

In this very moment, the door flung open and Rukia was forced to shut her mouth. If it was possible, her eyes would shoot daggers at the coachmen. But it was not, so she chose the silence instead.

Byakuya disembarked first and by outstretching his hand he cupped hers between his and helped her to get off. One hand landing on her waist to support her.

Once again they were close. Very, very close. But they did not voice anything. The cold winter bounced off their faces and if she could say, it made the same noise as the light whip on the horses' back.

As nonchalantly as ever, Byakuya placed her gloved hand on his arm and guided her to the entrance.

This time Rukia did not pay attention to the amazing building in front of them. She felt as nervous as the first time she entered in such a wonderful mansion, but her reasons were far different now.

When they were about to be announced at the Ball, Rukia bit her bottom lip and merely said, not looking at his eyes, but at the announcer instead.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

**###**

The soft music filled the Ballroom for quite a while. At the present moment, the noise of people chatting — mainly about her. Always about her — and laughing did not matter for Rukia was far more concentrated on her partner. The Baron Renji Abarai guided her to the floor after a sequence of two dances in the company of the Duke.

To be very honest, Rukia did not care about dancing with him. He could keep her in the dance floor for the whole night and she would not complain. Even though it meant a breach of rules, no one there would stop a Duke from having as many dances he wanted with anybody.

Dancing was also a painkiller and when Rukia allowed her body to follow the music, the pain seemed to vanish for a few moments.

The Baron barely talked, but when he did it as all about amenities. Rukia found it very odd, for she had learned he was pushy and clueless. So when he finally went to _that_ topic she was not surprised.

"Do you feel more comfortable today?" he asked when she returned to him. They were with their hands joined, but they were not facing each other.

"Why would I? They won't accept me."

Renji laughed a little bit.

"You can always force them to when you become a Duchess."

It was Rukia's turn to giggle. But even the small sound caused her head to hurt. It caused Byakuya to look at her. He was not dancing, but he did not prevent her from accompanying another people.

She shut her mouth and spat out.

"Not everyone dreams about being a Duchess."

The Baron laughed even hard this time, which caused some people to avert their eyes to them. Even the ones dancing took a glance at the _happy _partners.

By the corner of her eyes, Rukia saw how narrowed Byakuya's was.

"Che!" he let out. "You know it was coarse, don't you _shorty?"_

The girl pursed her lips. She did not say anything for a while.

"I am not shorty," she hissed. "You better find another _nickname_," she stressed out the last word. Her words were still mad. Then it became a little louder as she teased, "Do your best, Baron! You're smart, Baron! You have got weird eyebrows, Baron!"

"Damn you, Lady Rukia! I will…"

He did not have enough time to finish his sentence for Rukia stepped on his foot causing him to scream and attract everyone's attention for real. Rukia paid them no attention and left the dance floor to approach one waiter. He did not lose time and offered her a glass of brandy — she left out the fruit punch and her own lessons. Although she knew she should not drink any alcoholic beverage because of her pills, she drank it nonetheless.

How bold! Calling her shorty! She was not called it since her… She swallowed her drink. _Ichigo…_

Ichigo!

Her eyes went open when she recalled him. He was the only person who used to call her shorty, or midget. She hated both though.

And to think she almost told him the truth. She could not! Never! He would never help her to get Ichigo back and if anything happened to her groom…

She could not even think about it.

Stupid! Stupid! Endlessly stupid!

By the corner of her eyes, she saw him approaching her. The Duke. He wore an emotionless mask and once again she wondered if anyone had ever seen any kind of expression there.

Was it even possible?

Before she could sip her second brandy he held her wrist and delicately removed the glass from her hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked with her eyes narrowed.

He did not reply. As always.

She sighed.

"Could you…"

"No," he replied curtly and pulled her to the dance floor. There they could talk without being heard by anyone. Or barely heard.

When the music started, Rukia noticed it was not the first ones. It was different. It caused her to feel uncomfortable.

_Waltz._

She did not like the idea. Not even the tiniest bit.

It meant they would be very, very, very close.

More than in any other dance.

For a few seconds they remained quiet. Eyes on eyes. Just following the steps. He guided his hands to the air and the other one he kept on her waist, just below her breasts.

Rukia did not like dancing waltz. It was _too intimate. _Too close. Too… anything but decent.

From this position she could see his eyes. She could read anything there… If he was human, of course. If he ever felt, which surely was not the case.

Their faces were so close, it was difficult to look away. For some unknown reason she felt she could not. It bothered her. The silence bothered her. His stare bothered her. Everything in that proximity bothered her.

And she hated it.

She bit her bottom lip.

"I am sorry," she started, but fell silent waiting his answer.

It did not come, however. Rukia sighed. She should have expected it.

"Proceed," he said after a while in silence.

"I have embarrassed you." This time she did not wait his response. She knew it would not come. "With the Baron."

Byakuya turned her around. This way they were with their backs turned to each other. In any other dance it meant they would not touch and they would not exchange glances. But it was waltz and waltz meant physical contact.

It meant being in touch all the time.

As scandalous as waltz already was, he take no heed to the people looking shocked at them when he pulled her even closer, for no one would hear them when they slid next to them.

"I shouldn't—

"I thought you did not care," he cut her off.

"I don't." Rukia sighed. "But you are a Duke and—

"And you are a Duchess here."

Rukia opened her mouth to reply, but she did not have time for the musicians stopped the music. She expected him to allow her to go, but he did not and when they followed the soft sound all over again — in another waltz, to her exasperation and to his satisfaction —, she said,

"I remember I said no."

"I remember you did not explain," he retorted with a warmer voice than usual. Rukia did not notice, but he was actually having fun with her demeanor, which was far more than unusual for him.

"And I thought you gave up!" she spat out, trying to move out of the dance floor. He did not allow her of course. She was already ready for his annoying line _You're not allowed to leave _or so but he surprised her.

"I never give up."

**###**

Gladly it was only two dances. Rukia could never thank his friends — if he knew what was to have them — enough for taking him out for a conversation.

Another waiter approached her and this time Rukia accepted the fruit punch. Her head hurt even more now and every minimal sound make it all more difficult.

No one came closer to talk to her and to be very honest she did not feel disappointed. She was glad they didn't, so she would not have to take in fake conversation about her relationship with the Duke or how good she looked on her dress — or how bad. She never knew what she should expect from those people.

"You look stunning, Lady Rukia." A voice she did not recognize removed her from her thoughts.

"Ah… Thank you so much," she replied in a shy tone as she took a better look at the woman.

It was the Duchess.

The Duchess Shihouin.

She was older than Byakuya, but no one would say it at seeing her giant smile and her beautiful features. She had got golden eyes and purple hair. She was different from anything Rukia had ever seen. She was beautiful.

And looked far better than Rukia herself. Even though she found her own dress quite gorgeous, it was not compared to the Duchess.

"So do you, Your Grace," she said in a low tone.

"I'm glad you came," Yoruichi said, taking a few steps closer and hugging her. Rukia was left out of words.

Of course it was not common coming from the Duchess, but she liked the way Rukia's eyes went wide and how surprised she looked. She reminded her from the young Byakuya — the difference was solely that Rukia would not try to punch her or yell at her madly.

She laughed out loud.

"I'm glad Little Byakuya brought you. If he didn't…"

"The invitation came from you then?"

"Of course! I was dying to know who was the girl who stole that dumbass' heart!"

Rukia tried to hide her smile.

She did not expect anyone to treat the Duke as Yoruichi. It surprised her because she thought she was too disrespectful, but the Duchess was… Well… there were no words to describe her.

"Come…" She took Rukia's arm and placed it on hers. "Let's take a walk. You better tell me everything about your wedding. Did you say yes, didn't you?"

Rukia closed her eyes.

If she did not die exactly that night, she would die soon with that damn marriage topic.

**###**

The Duchess had to leave her after a few minutes of conversation. Albeit she seemed curious to know about their inexistent marriage, she was happy Rukia said _no_ at first.

She said Little Byakuya — and Rukia found the nickname amusing — needed to know his place. No one besides her did it before. It was good for him. _Someone has to teach us that not everything come easy in life, _she said before she departed. She could not leave her guests all alone and once her husband was in a small meeting with his friends, she had to be a proper host.

But she also said she was glad to meet Rukia and that liked her — how could it be true, she did not know, for they barely knew each other — and that she did want to meet another time for playing poker.

Honestly, Rukia also liked her.

Now, all by herself in the giant veranda, Rukia felt like all eyes were definitely upon her.

_First the Duke, now the Duchess, doesn't she know greed is a sin?_

She heard them talking close to her.

_And that dress? It's quite beautiful, but someone like her should not be wearing that!_

The comment caused Rukia to look at her own body. She almost rolled her eyes. She could practically hear the jealousy in their voices.

Right. She agreed with them that someone like her — a street rat — would never dress anything like that if it was not for the Duke, but… But she still liked it.

It was made of a light purple satin and was lined by a white gauze of an exquisitely beautiful and glossy texture. The color matched her eyes, creating an innocent aura around her. The line was just usual fashion and almost all dresses had it. The transparent fabric also covered her cleavage and shoulders, making these areas even delicate. The hem had a few pearly flowers covering the satin fabric, they made their way in a knotty pattern till it reached her waist. She also wore dancing shows and gloves made of satin.

The hair, although short, was arranged with small pearls all over the black strands. Her stubborn bang was attached to a fancy hairclip. It felt weird at first, but soon she got used to it and liked her own image on the mirror like that. She felt beautiful, which was more than she could usually say of herself.

Then she returned her attention to them and was able to hear them talking about the Waltz. She knew they would talk about it.

She sighed.

_Just because it was a Waltz she did not need to behave as a slut. Have you seen how close to him she was?_

_I heard she is from Spain. There they have that scandalous dance, the flamenco. Have you ever seen it? It's far worse than waltz._

It was another of their topics. Rukia raised her chin expecting them to stop talking, but it did not work, of course.

_See? Now she looks at us expecting to frighten us. She isn't the Duchess yet and behave as one._

She was forced to close her eyes. Those people would never leave her alone, right?

_I bet the Duke is merely with her because of her looks. She is the same of his last lover, the whore. I bet she knows plenty of filth tricks in bed to keep him for such a long time._

Now her eyes shot open. She could barely believe it. Were they really…?

_I heard there is a trick they do with their mouths and that man loves… Do you know it? It's disg…_

Rukia did not stay there for much longer. She could not bear one more minute hearing those things about her. She walked to inside the ballroom, but those eyes all on her did not make her feel any good.

She went indoors. She expected to find the Duke and ask him to get her home. Her real home this time. Not his mansion. She was sure people there would look at her just like those in the Ballroom…

They were all lying. She did not want the Duke's attention, let alone the Duchess.

And apart that kiss, he had never carried her to his bed. They never did _those _things.

She was so lost in thought she barely knew she was being guided by her instincts and when she last expected, she was right in front of one room where some voices came from. She quickly recognized the Duke's.

"_The codes in both books are different." His voice was low. _

As she heard the word _code _she pressed her ear against the door. She had to hear that conversation.

"_How are we supposed to translate the book if the girl is dead?" Another voice came out. _

Rukia did not know to whom it pertained, but she felt even curious about what they were saying. It was all about those notebooks, right? Why did they want to translate it?

_The girl is still alive._

It read.

It was her right? She knew how to translate it. And she knew she was the only one. He said it once. No one apart from them knew it. He was dead now, so it was only her.

_Highly dangerous…_

He also said.

_If they ever find out you can translate it, your life will be in danger. _

Her eyes went wide.

_Highly dangerous…_

_Highly… Dangerous…_

She forced her mind to keep shut and pressed her ear even further to the door.

"_Is she really dead? Are you sure?" Another man asked. _

Rukia did not know their voices therefore she could not say who was speaking.

"_Yes, she is."_

It was the Duke.

Why was he protecting her? Why was he lying to his friends? Why was… Oh Gosh! He already knew it was her, right? He knew she could translate the book and he would force her to, wouldn't he? That's why he was protecting her…

No! He was not protecting her, he was protecting his own interests.

He was…

_Highly dangerous._

_Highly… Dangerous…_

These words played in her mind incessantly. She could see the faces of the ones who said to her appearing at time and their cold voices and diabolic faces.

_Highly dangerous…_

_Your life will be in danger…_

Her benefactor was always the first. He was smiling in the first line. In the second he was spitting blood. It caused her eyes to become teary.

_Is she really dead?_

This time there was no face. Just a voice and an empty expression. It was scary than anything she had heard.

_Throw it away…_

_Highly dangerous…_

Her benefactor again. Her father. She could not see it, for her mind was filled with uncountable and scary scenes, but her fingers were fiercely pressed against her necklace. Her fingertips were white.

The left hand was on the doorknob, ready to open it. She did not though, and even if she did, it was not on purpose.

_If you don't give us that damn notebook, your beloved groom will die…_

That fat, strong, horrible man said. His name was Yammy and Rukia hated him. Hated him more than anyone.

_Throw it away…_

_Highly dangerous…_

"Please…" she begged, but her words were not turned into words. It was merely a thought.

Then it arrived. The Duke's voice. His face closer to hers. He was holding her so close, so close, so close it seemed they would melt.

_Do you know the inscriptions?_

"STOP!" She yelled, opening the door all of sudden.

Four men turned to look at her surprised. Her face was wet from the tears and her eyes were out of focus. She was not fine. She was far from it. In a quick move, Byakuya ran to her and took her on his arms.

Concern filled him as she leaned against his chest and muttered in a crying tone, "I am sorry".

He knew it was not for him. He was sure of it. And he knew what would happen next.

She passed out.

When she definitely fell to his arms, her legs became weak as jelly, he accommodated her better, placing one hand on her back and the other on behind her knees. Her hand that was firmly closed around a necklace also fell lifeless to the side and just then he saw it.

The patterns, the wood in the shape of a stone. The color. Everything about it.

It was not a simply necklace.

It was _that _necklace.

Rukia was his dead — not so dead anymore — future wife.

* * *

><p><strong>AN – ****I tried to make this chapter shorter, but it doesn't seem it's working, right?**

**Waltz at that time was considered a very, very indecorous dance. So I tried to portray it in this chapter. Of course it's a little bit different from nowadays, but at that time…**

**I hope this chapter is not that bad, but I had so much to say about the plot that I didn't know if it turned good or bad – the interactions between them. Next chapter it will be filled with interactions about them and so are next chapters.**

**My biggest thanks to **ANONYMBYAKURUKIF and KougamiShinyaIsMine **who reviewed all my chapters. You rock, readers! (Idk if you're male or female hahaha sorry). Also thanks to everyone who reviews last chapter and to the ones who are following and favorite this story. Thank you so much!**

**Seriously, you have no idea how happy I am when I receive an email with reviews, PM alert, favorite and follow. It's all amazing. Really. **

**Replying to** Seras3791,** I hope this chapter answer this question. If it didn't it's because something bigger would happen (next chapter ofc) between them. But now he'll surely get Rukia to a doctor ;)**

**I'll do my real best to update next week, but I'm not sure ok?**

**So, would you mind reviewing this chapter again? I'd love to read your thoughts and just to let you know, I write faster when I do read such lovely words – the critic ones too xD**

**Ah, last question before I go: do you really think Rukia is Byakuya's promised wife? Or is it just a misunderstanding?**

**Take care,**

**Velvetsins**


	7. Blankly

**Hello, lovelies!**

**I know I'm pretty late and I have to say I'm sorry. I really am. I wanted to make a special update for Rukia's b'day, but I didn't feel like writing for the past few days. Sorry xD A lot happened the last few weeks and I just felt my chapter was not that good. I'm not sure it is yet hehe**

**However, I'll do my best to update January, 31, because it's Byakuya's b'day. **

**Just a friendly request: please don't kill me because I mentioned Ichigo. I assure you it's COMPLETELY necessary for the story, to make it believable. I'll mention it in the 2****nd**** AN ok? Bear it for me?**

**Ah, thanks to Flávia once again (as always) and to every single beautiful soul who left me reviews. They really, really makes me happy. And please: stop guessing all of it hahahah I couldn't stop laughing with some of your reviews. You amazed me how you got it. I can't mention your names here, because you'd know what I'm talking about, but I loved each review and ****_L, _dear. No I have no mercy. I'm not feeling guilty about it. hahaha To all the other reviewers, I'd love to reply all of them, but I can't, so my deepest gratitude. You all make this story. Love you all. **

**Also, to the guest who said **_**silent reader. **_**This chapter is for you. Hope you like it, dear and if you feel like tell me what you think, ok? I'd love to know your name xD it makes easier to thank you.**

**AAhhhh, I didn't fix the mistakes you'll surely find in this chapter, because I've just finished it, after spending two days writing it. I'll do it tomorrow ok?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just this plot. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7. Blankly<strong>

* * *

><p>"Papá," the yell echoed through the house. It did not receive any answer though.<p>

Her father was not at home.

Good.

A small smile blossomed on the corner of her lips. Finally, she would have some time to sneak into his study room and continue the interesting reading.

How she loved symbols! They were far more intriguing than any other book she had at her disposal and she could tell she had far more than she ever thought possible. Mainly because she could read once her name there.

If possible, it only increased her curiosity.

_But..._ He did not want her to read them.

Why?

It was the only one thing she could remember from her past and at first he let her indulge in such reading, but now... Now she had found her name in one of them, he did not want her to touch them ever again.

So she was invading.

The mere thought made her feel sick. She did not like lying or hiding anything from him, but he left her no choice.

"Papá," she called out once again, afraid he was merely silent, but still around.

She did not think he would do anything bad to her, like so many people before him, but he would be disappointed and the girl could take anything — even get spanked, she was used to it nonetheless and wore the scars of her adventures in search for food in the street markets — but his disappointment.

Once again there was no answer.

He was not at home.

It was safe.

Slowly, still afraid of a sudden arrival, she entered the study room, closing the door behind her. If he showed up sooner than she expected, she would jump down the large windows.

Yeah.

That was it.

He would never find out she had been in there.

Eagerly, she walked to the bookshelf and looked for that notebook. It did not took her more than a few seconds to spot them.

Damn, too high!

If only she were a few inches taller...

She sighed. It was not that impossible, after all, she thought to herself as she got a chair and climbed onto it. It merely took a stretch of fingers to get it. The same notebook she had been looking for.

Still up in the chair, she started the reading. Surprisingly, it told her nothing about her life as she actually expected. On contrary, it merely contained a list with names.

By why would a simply list with names be encoded?

She could not understand.

Slowly, she climbed down the chair and sat on the wooden floor. Curiosity took over her as she flipped the pages and found nothing but names encoded.

What were those names?

She traced her fingers upon it, as if she knew what they meant, but somehow could not remember.

_What is it?_ she told herself. _Think! Think! You'll remember! You have to!_

She was so lost in thoughts she did not hear the steady steps approaching the room.

It was too late before she could realize he had caught her.

"What are you doing?"

**###**

His concern was almost palpable when he watched her sleeping form on the soft mattress of Yoruichi's guest room.

She had a cloth placed on her forehead, drying the droplets of sweat of her skin and keeping her temperature under control. He could say she was still uneasy, even with everyone — included the Duchess — out of the room.

He knew he should have asked a doctor to take a look at her before, but he did not do anything because her safety was none of his concern. Her life meant nothing to him.

And now he had just found out it was quite the contrary.

His eyes left her and surveyed the room. It was big and comfortable. The door, despite closed for the time being, always received a few maids coming in and out to bring new soaked cloth to place upon her head while they waited for the doctor.

The fireplace were not lit, for he decided it was better not to keep the room scalding, even though she trembled in the bed and tried to cover her own body with the sheets.

There was only one problem with that room: it was not where he wanted her to be, but it would do. It had to.

Actually, there was no option left.

Rukia's skin was burning. Her eyes were unfocused and her pulse was painfully weak.

Although he wanted to carry her back home and far from further questionings from Yoruichi and everyone else, he could not risk her safety.

He did not hear anything from the hellish Duchess, but Renji was the first to ask him if he was going to become a… _Father._

It went unanswered, of course, for it was not of his friend's business. He merely narrowed his eyes and he wondered if his glance was too severe for Renji raised his hands in surrender and apologized.

_Good._

The last he wanted and needed were further questionings about his relationship with Rukia.

He heard a low grunt and shifted his attention back to her. Her face was contorted into a grimace of pure pain. He watched as she pressed her little fingers against the bed sheets, curling upon it until the fingertips became white.

Strangled noises left her lips. Byakuya knew it was because she was delirious once again. He did not know what to do to calm her down, but it seemed she got better when so many people left the room. The silence seemed to calm her down, but once in a while — and it had not been far more than one hour since she passed out in his arms — she would let out a few grunts and become uneasy.

He then tried something he did not until now.

To be completely honest, Byakuya had no idea if it would work out. He felt a little unsure about doing what he was about to do, but he did nonetheless.

Moving towards the bed and leaving the armchair he was sitting on for what seemed days, he sat close to her and placed her head gently on his lap.

For a brief second he was under the impression she had awakened, but it was not true. She merely moved her head a little bit aside. Her brows knitted together and a lonely tear ran down her pale face.

He did not know what to do, but it seemed he was wrong to get closer to her. It seemed he was only inflicting more pain to her, instead of making it easier. Decided to give her a little bit of more space, he tried to move away, but her small hand shot to his, holding it in a firm grasp.

"Please, stay." Her voice was shaky as these simple words left her trembling lips. Her grasp over him only tightened when she received no answer.

Taken aback by the sudden gesture and begging, Byakuya merely let out,

"I am here, Rukia."

"N-No! Please, stay," she begged once more in a weaker and crying tone.

"I am here. I am not going anywhere," he gave her hand a little and comforting squeeze. He wanted her to know he would not leave her alone.

Nonetheless, even his reassuring words did not seem to work. Her voice came out as a piercing cry this time.

"Please, don't go. Stay…" Not only had a single tear left her closed eyes, but much more. Uncountable salty tears washed her face. Strangled sobs shook her chest and shoulders. "Stay," she begged once more, not letting go of his hand. Never letting go.

Byakuya stayed silent, realizing she was not asking him to stay with her, but someone else. She was delirious once again. Whoever it was in her mind right now, it was making her apprehensive.

Nonetheless, he did dry her face. His fingers slid carefully on her face, wiping away the salty droplets. More left her eyes, wetting her skin. When she began sobbing again, he spoke, even though he knew it would do nothing to shake her off of her mind.

"Shhh, I am here, Rukia," he whispered close to her face, drying her face and squeezing her hand.

"Promise you won't leave," she said, stopping crying little by little.

He knew she was not awake, but in some way — he had no idea how — he managed to get into her mind and make her believe what he was saying was actually happening, mixed with her delirium.

"I won't."

And despite the fact she did not know it was him who was talking to her, he promised it for real.

He would not lose her.

Not once again.

**###**

_One hour before._

They were back. Baron Abarai and Count Schiffer entered the Ballroom and walked towards a waiter, speaking curtly with him. The servant then nodded and left the crowded place. Yoruichi shifted her attention from her guests and looked at Renji, but he merely shook his head — indicating she would know shortly.

She then looked for her husband and for Byakuya and Rukia, but the Duke Kuchiki and his _mistress, _as that people thought, were nowhere in sight.

A few couples were still dancing and did not notice the tense exchange of glances, let alone the fact the Duke and his Lady were missing. But there were those who were not dancing and those who liked to meddle in what did not concern them.

They began taking.

_Where were they?_

_What were they doing?_

_Did they leave?_

It was clear as crystal the matrons were gossiping with their daughters about how bad Rukia's behavior was — and how they should not behave like her. How could she be so selfish to the point of carrying the Duke out of the Ball without allowing him to bid farewell to the hosts, his own comrades and friends?

Did she have no heart?

How could she think only of herself and her own shameful desires?

From where she was with Lady Kuukaku, a very old friend of hers, talking to Lord Shunsui — he had not brought his sister, Soi Fong, with him — she could hear a few murmurs about Byakuya and Rukia. She rolled her eyes in a mix of annoyance and displeasure.

She had no idea where they were, but she could not care less. Byakuya was an adult and therefore responsible for his acts. Rukia was not a child either and if she followed him inside to do _whatever_ they were doing, it was because she chose to.

The idea of Byakuya carrying her forcefully to some room to make out was inconceivable. There was no need to mention it was even ridiculous the simply thought that Rukia could seduce him and drag him to do it without he could even protest — or think about how scandalous it could be.

Was Byakuya even easy to be seduced?

She doubted.

Well… The truth, however, was that both of them were caught in a very compromising position once. It would not be a surprise if it happened again.

A small smile blossomed on the corner of her lips when she saw her husband approaching. He surely knew where her _Little Byakuya _went and if he was accompanied by some petite Lady.

The gesture simply fell down when he did not reciprocated it. It was… _weird. _Suspicious, she would say. Kisuke was always smiling, not matter what and he was… _serious._

He finally crossed the gap between then and by bowing his head before his guests just a little, he took his Duchess' hands between his.

In this very moment, the whole ballroom went silent. The musicians stopped playing and everyone turned their attention to the hosts in a signal of pure respect. The couples dancing stepped backwards and waited for instructions.

A few people dared to whisper their thoughts, but most of them remained silent.

"I am afraid I have to take my lady far from you," he announced. Even his tone was different. It caused Yoruichi's eyes to narrow. Both Lady Kuukaku and Lord Shunsui nodded their heads. "I promise she will reunite you shortly."

Yoruichi smiled and looked at him concerned. He merely smiled back and signalized so the musicians could resume their job. The soft music flowed in the Ballroom and a few couples were back to dancing.

It felt awkward though. People resumed chatting and this time the new topic revolved around the weird way the Duke approached his Duchess.

"What happened?" Yoruichi asked when she found herself in a secure place.

Surprisingly, Urahara did not took his time introducing the matter, he went to the point.

"Lady Rukia passed out," he said at once.

Yoruichi laughed. She thought the same everyone thought.

"Byakuya you quick little thing!"

"No, he is not," Urahara replied. "She has the necklace."

His cold words caused Yoruichi's eyes to shot open and the smile on her lips fall down.

"Wow."

"Wow, Yoruichi," he agreed. This time he smiled. She kind of missed his white bright teeth out there for all to see. "You know what it means."

His wife nodded.

"You go help him with the girl and I'll…"

He did not finish what he was saying. It was not needed. Both of them knew what they needed to do.

It was time to put plan B to work.

**###**

The noise of the pointers on the clock began to disturb him more than Rukia's struggled grunts. Every minute that went by assured her sickness.

He watched her features very carefully. For the past few minutes after he decided to place her head on his lap, she seemed to have improved a little bit. Her face was dry; no tear threatened to ran down her cheeks. No sound, except the small cries, left her lips.

His hand was still between hers and he made no move to break apart. Byakuya stood still, in the same position for what seemed hours, waiting the doctor's arrival. He merely moved when he needed to change the piece of cloth placed on her forehead. It happened only once and merely because she began struggling so fiercely it fell from its place.

His eyes travelled from her face to the small necklace hanging on her neck. It leaned on her small chest, rising and falling according to the rhythm of her breath. He could see the notches carved in the little piece; they reminded him the promise he made once.

_They are your responsibility. If anything ever happens to them, it's all on you, Byakuya._

The remembrance echoed in his mind using his grandfather's voice. He was serious, more than he usually was. Ginrei knew how important they were and their safety meant a lot to him. To the entire country, actually. But since they were daughters of his close friend he was _specially_ interested in ensure they landed their feet in England as they deserved.

Byakuya merely nodded his understanding.

It all happened before he traveled to Spain. He was responsible for their lives and if he failed…

He could not fail.

And he did not. They were already dead when he arrived to their house. It all happened before he placed his foot on that unknown land.

At least, they should be dead.

He did not cared about looking for precise information. He believed in what he heard; which was unlike him. He only believed what his eyes could see, what he could touch, he could listen. He had to certificate himself, but the only time he did not it all ended…

_Like that._

He sighed.

It was all his fault.

If Rukia was suffering right now it was all because of him. Because he did not do what was under his power to ensure their safety. He should have known someone could attack them when he first planned going to Spain.

Deep inside he knew why he failed.

He failed because he did not want to meet her. He was still entranced for that beautiful girl he barely talked, but found himself in love with. He did not want to meet his future wife — protect her was one thing, _but marry her? _— for he knew it implied letting his crush go — even if they were nothing to each other.

When he knew she was dead it had been — he did not want to put like this, but that was the bare truth — _a relief_. He now could do what he wanted to do of his love life.

Of course, it was merely an illusion. She married another man before he could even talk to her. She was pregnant… _Before the marriage._ It was considered the scandalous of the century for a couple of weeks. Or until the court found another topic to make a fuss about.

He did not have time to process what he felt for sure because his mother died and he decided join his grandfather shortly after in the War. His father was dead and so was his mother and his crush was… _out of reach._

There was nothing left in London for him.

The result of his careless planning was two dead girls, a useless notebook in hands and a War to fight.

If only he knew they were not dead — he still wondered how they survived. If only he knew Hisana knew the codes, if…

There were so many _if_ in this story he would lose days to count all of them. Hisana was dead and with her the key to translate that damn notebook.

It explained why Rukia reacted so curiously when she found them opened in the floor. She could not read them — if the story was right, of course — but she recognized them.

Even if she had lost her memory such an important fact would surely remain. He knew they were trained to recognize and read the codes since very early. His father told him they learned the codes together with their native language. The reading came as easy as speaking English and French.

Byakuya held many doubts about only one knowing the code, but he could not force her to tell him anything. Rukia was stubborn as hell; she would never reveal the truth if she felt cornered.

It should come wittingly.

For now his duty was to protect her — even from his friends. They saw her necklace, they recognized her as one of the _dead girls._ They would try to make her tell everything she knew.

He saw Ulquiorra's stare. He thought her fainting was fake. Byakuya could think the same if he did not know her. If he had not seen her complaining about her headache for days.

If it was all on him.

_They are your responsibility. If anything ever happens to them, it's all on you, Byakuya._

His grandfather's voice kept echoing in the depths of his mind and he almost lost track of the door being opened. Yoruichi's head entered through the double-faced door and stared at him. A weak smile filled with concern appeared on her lips. He did not reciprocated the gesture as he removed Rukia's head gently of his lap. He rose up and retreated a few steps back, leaving room for the doctor to check upon her.

"The doctor is here, Byakuya," she said, even though he already knew she was there. She opened one of the leafs to let the woman walk in. A servant entered the room and left her handbag on the table and by bowing dutifully he left the room. No one paid attention to him though.

"Lady Unohana," Byakuya acknowledged her.

"Your Grace," she replied with a gentle smile. She did not bow before him as it was expected, she merely bowed her head. It did not bother the Duke, who took in her features.

She looked a little bit tired, as if she had been sleeping by the time the servant came to ask her to check upon the Duke's _whatever she was. _Both, the Duke and the Doctor shared a brief glance. She was the doctor of his family and of his friends' too for quite a while. He could not trust anyone else to take care of Rukia.

That's why he did not care about calling her so late at night. And he would pay well for her services. Everyone knew he was not kind to anyone, but he did not mind paying for a service — mainly if it was about healthy. In this case, Rukia's healthy.

In the bed, another small grunt left the patient's lips, which caused both to avert their attention back to her.

"I will leave you alone," Yoruichi's voice echoed in the quite silent room. "If you need me…" she left her sentence in the middle.

Still staring at the young girl in the bed, she approached the bed slowly. She did not talk, she did not ask anything, she merely sat on the corner of the bed and took a brief look at Rukia's features.

She looked tired, exhausted, to be honest. She was sweating again and her mouth often let out struggled grunts born from her delirious state.

"She is delirious, I see…" she spoke to herself. She was not paying attention to Byakuya anymore and touched the girl's face, opening her eyes lightly. With a sigh, she got up and looked at her handbag.

"Stay," he said and moved to get it for her. With a smile, she merely bowed her head, thanking him.

Unohana turned her attention back to the collapsed girl lying on the mattress. She smiled as she felt the young Duke staring at both of them with a serious face. Although he thought he could hide his feeling from anyone, it was not true. Unohana knew him since he was a just a spoiled child who used to follow his father and mother everywhere.

This girl was somehow important to him. She could not just figure why yet. She did not think it was because of her physical similarity to his last lover. He was too serious to do anything like this. To _feel_ like this. Despite his young age, the boy she knew was far more mature than people could ever expect him to be when it came to the matters of heart.

The Lady Tu Odelschwanck was important for another reason. But why?

As he crossed his strong arms on his chest, she could almost hear him asking, _Is she going to be okay? _But as closed and cold as he was, he was not going to voice it out, which caused Unohana's smile to grow a bit more.

"Worry you not, Your Grace. She will be fine," she answered the unspoken question.

**###**

As soon as Yoruichi returned to the Ballroom she spotted some guests still dancing and the others enjoying themselves in the Company of her husband. He made a few ladies and lords laugh.

Yoruichi smirked at him and he smirked back. Their eyes connected as if sharing a tremendous secret no one would ever know.

As the Duchess made her way to her husband, she talked to a few guests, always showing her bright and cunning smile. She heard some of them talking again about the Duke and Rukia and she wondered until when they would be the gossip of London.

No one seemed to care about anything else.

The fact he had a lover was not important to anyone else anymore. In fact, it was pretty common — who did not have a lover after all? Women were not allowed to be sexy creatures to their husbands, actually they should only open their legs to provide the spawn and no pleasure were included in this. It was perfectly normal men had mistress then, right?

It was completely acceptable, but not when their whole attention shifted back to _those women._

Rukia was nobody. She did not have a title, she did not have a name. She was merely a preceptor — and only God could possible know what else —, therefore she had no right to marry him, to be near him in public, and touch him in public. Dancing waltz with him was unthinkable.

What the Duke was doing was probably the scandal of the century! At least it was until they found anything they considered worse to talk about.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes as she read their minds. It was not needed to be a medium or anything supernatural to know what they were thinking. It made her feel disgusted at all those people dancing in her Ballroom and talking among themselves as if Rukia was not even a person.

Alright.

To them she was not. She was nothing but a whore. Would it ever be different?

The Duchess pitied the young girl. If she was really going to become Byakuya's duchess she would have to learn to deal with those people and from what she had seen that night… It would not be a problem.

Still… Even if she could manage them and make them appreciate her. There would always be someone trying to make her fall from grace. Because those people would never accept someone of her status. As they never accepted her husband fully. They never would.

So many years of marriage and people still thought they could make them break apart. Such naïve impression…

Only if they knew her lineage…

She snapped such thoughts from her mind when she finally reached her husband. She was still holding some Baron's arm. She could not even remember his name, but he had offered to dance with her and she refused politely, but asked him to guide her to her husband. She had danced with him that night. More than once, actually.

When she was about to step to Kisuke's extended hands, the Baron spoke close to her,

"I would surely like to meet you another time in more _appropriate _place." It was merely a whisper, no one would ever hear it. No one but her. She frowned and stared right at her husband, but even if he knew what her expression meant, he did not remove his smile from his face. She smiled back. "I know Your Grace would enjoy my…"

"Your company?" she said a little bit louder. Now Kisuke stared back at her and his smile faded away. "I am sure my husband would like to meet you and play cards. Just please, don't try to practice fencing, he's too good to lose."

The Baron's cunning smile died on his lips as soon as he heard her reply.

She smiled in the same mischievous way and clapped her hands, looking at her guests. Everyone turned their attention to her, even the musicians stopped playing to stare at the Duchess. She held her husband's gloved hand and shared a quick glance.

"Alright, my Lords and Ladies," she started politely. "I would like to say how much I appreciate your company this night, but now the Ball is over. Please follow my butler outside. And please take this man out of my sight."

All the guests stared at her face in shock. Some covered their mouths. Some others started speaking about her boldness, but none of them dared to contest a Duchess. Some others looked at her Duke — and it seemed they only remembered he was Duke when they needed to shut her up — with pleading looks. It could not be left as it was.

"Did you not hear? Follow the Duchess' desires, Ladies and Gentleman. The party is over."

With that, he kissed her gloved hand and smiled at her, watching closely as the unknown Baron walked off the Ballroom feeling despised and his ego bruised.

He knew it would not be that way.

The Duke and his Duchess, however, did not care.

**###**

It smelled like fish. Rotten fish.

She did not like the odor not even the tiniest bit. She did not like how cold it was in that place. She did not like the gray clouds in the sky, she did not like the absence of light. Back in Spain, her motherland, despite the cold weather during the winter the sun always shone upon them.

In this strange land it was different.

People did not seem not even nice. They wore masks as they work, they barely talked and English men always ogled her as if she was some kind of appetizing food they were eager to taste.

She raised her chin, there was no way she would let them know she was scared. No one would ever read her feelings. She did not bother covering herself; she pretended she was appropriately dressed — even if everybody could say her dress was smaller than it should.

A sigh left her lips. It was not her fault her thighs were almost uncovered. It was not her fault she had to work in the ship so they could keep her there and bring her safely to England — or close to it.

_I need you… _He started, but paused after a wave of coughs crashed upon him. The girl placed a handkerchief on his mouth, removing the blood there gently. He had no more strength to do it by himself.

_Don't talk, papá. _She rose up from his bed. _I'll get you some… _She could not finish her sentence and not leave him, for he grabbed her wrist between his weakened and trembling fingers.

_Don't. I-I w-will talk._ He smiled or tried. Every time he moved his facial muscles too much he lost the ability to speak and started coughing heavily. She nodded even if she was worried about his condition. _I-I ne-need you to get o-out of he-here. _

_What? No! _She replied.

_They are coming… _He caressed her cheek lightly._ For me… You need to leave and find him…_

_I-I… _She started, a few tears threatened to run down her cheeks. _I can't. _She moved her fingers towards his bedside table and got a crystal jar containing poppy milk. She damped his lips with it as the local doctor once taught her. He quickly snapped her hand away, however.

_You must. Listen. _His voice was better now. _I don't have much time. You must get out of here and contact Captain Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, he will help you to get to England. There you must look for…_

His voice was interrupted by a couple of voices in the ground floor. The girl's eyes shot open, but she did not move, instead she asked,

_For?_

There was no time left. He merely kissed her cheek and said,

_Go. Now. _

_But you…_

_I am dying, child. Just go. _

It was the last time she saw her father.

She looked for the ship in the nearby Port as she was instructed. The Captain however said it was highly dangerous — she recalled she had heard these words frequently in the past few months — to carry her with the money she had in hands. Rukia was afraid he would not take her, but he did, under one condition: she should work the whole way without complaining.

It seemed easy, if it was not the embarrassing clothes they make her wear.

She was alone. She had no one but herself. There was no father, no Spain, everything she ever knew was gone and now she was merely running for her life.

From one day to another, her life was turned upside down. Nothing was the same and it would never be.

They would catch her if she allowed them. They would surely make her suffer, _they would…_

A seventeen girl landing her feet on a new and foreign land was not that surprising. People from several countries did the same everyday, but she was different.

Different in what she did not know. It seemed it would take a long time before she could decipher it.

She walked barefoot on the pier, her toes seemed frozen when they came in contact with the gelid big stones. She tried to hold onto her own body heat, but it seemed impossible as the minutes went by.

It was dark there. The few men working did not care to look at her or offer some help, and the ones who did looked at her in a way no men ever should. It sent a shiver up her spine.

Startled, she put her eyes on the ground floor and kept walking towards the exit. She did not know that Port very well, but it seemed it was not for people — she had not seen anyone there, not arriving at least or departing for that matter — only for things.

It made her feel even uneasy.

Eyes still locked on the door, she did not notice the drunk men coming towards her. When she did, it was too late. He was holding her by the shoulders and speaking in a way she could not understand, even if her English was fluent.

She tried to shove him away, but she was not that strong. She had not eaten for almost an entire day; she felt hungry, tired and feeble.

_Let me go! _She continued to punch him in the chest, but he did not let her go. The girl merely closed her eyes, too weak to fight.

_You heard her. Let her go._

One man placed his hand on the man's shoulder. It did not make him stop, but then he moved him away forcefully, throwing him at the ground. The girl almost fell altogether, but the man held her by the arms.

Stunned, she did not thank him and a little bit scared she moved away from him. He respected her choice and stepped backwards. After a few seconds without her saying anything, he teased.

_Aren't you going to say thank you?_

She did not say anything. She remained quiet. She did not know him, she did not trust him. What if he merely helped her to do what that man was thinking first? What if they actually knew each other? What if…

_I could help you… _He started, but at seeing her face, he gave up and walked away, deciding to leave her alone.

The girl looked at her surroundings attentively, a few more man looked at her and quickly ran to him.

_What is your name?_

She was not going to say thank you. She did not ask his help in the first place.

Even if she could not see his face, when he stepped closer to an area more illuminated she saw his hair. It was spiky and its color was… _different. Amusing. _

It was orange.

Her answer did not came. It made her purse her lips.

_Are you deaf? What is your name?_

He stopped all of sudden, which caused her to crash against him hardly. He did not hold her to prevent her from falling. Instead, he let her crash against the floor. She was annoying. Still, he helped her to get up and held her closer by the hand.

_Ichigo._

**###**

_They are your responsibility. If anything ever happens to them, it's all on you, Byakuya._

He slowly opened his eyes before the words on his head. It was like Ginrei himself was there speaking this line. It was as if his deceased grandfather knew what could happen and warned him long before, so he would not commit such mistake.

But he was a foolish boy.

He did not pay enough attention.

Byakuya did not wonder if Ginrei would blame him, because he already did it. He did not wish, however, he could go back in time and make it all right. Such thought was useless. He was not a child anymore and as a man responsible for his acts — even the foolish ones — he knew it was a waste of time.

He shook such thoughts from his mind when Rukia went delirious again. She was better now after Doctor Unohana came and medicated her. The diagnosis: migraine. The fever was what was making her delirious. As soon as her body temperature returned to its normal, it would stop.

It seemed she was still in no better condition.

He rose up from his chair and looked at the clock on the wall. It was still night, but the dawn was almost closer. Slowly, he walked back to the bed and place her head on his lap. His hands found its way to hers. Once again, she seemed to improve. The expression of fear left her features and then she spoke one name.

_Ichigo._

Byakuya frowned as her lips left this simple word. He did not know any Ichigo… Except for _that Ichigo. _But he was dead. Everyone who worked to the Crown knew it.

Was it possible for they to…

He did not have time to jump into early conclusions because at the same time her big, violet eyes shot open. Startled, she looked up at him and suddenly her face relaxed.

No comment came from Byakuya, but she already expected it. He was always so damn silent sometimes she would forget he knew how to talk.

Rukia then averted her eyes to their joined hands. He did not loose his grip over it even when she fully opened her eyes. Her head still hurt, her body was still hot, but she still felt cold. It seemed she was still feverish after all.

Her violent eyes then focused on his grey irises. She held her breath as read it there.

_Concern…_

So he was not a machine in the end. He felt something. He was _human._

"Did you stay with me the whole night?"

He did not reply. It was _so_ him. However, he was not as unreadable as ever. She knew the truth even if he did not say it loud.

Yes. He stayed with her the whole night. He was the one who took care of her.

Maybe it was not Ichigo who was there for her this time, but it did not matter that much. Despite the fact she still wanted to save him and would love if he was close, she could not deny she felt safe with the Duke.

She could not deny she appreciated his concern and care.

"Thank you, Your Grace," she whispered.

He nodded.

It did not matter who Ichigo was to her, he would do what he had to do from now on.

Looking back at Rukia's opened eyes, he decided it.

He would marry her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Okay. I know this chapter is a little bit boring and that's why I tried to make it shorter. If compared to the others, it is.**

**I mean… while some chapters are focused on Rukia, other's are in between. This one I tried to make all the emotions on Byakuya. I know he's OOC, but I think as the story goes far it'll happen. Hope you don't mind.**

**Actually, now he knows Rukia is his promised wife and he feel guilty (yeah, he merely think it's only that for now) he thinks it's his duty to protect her and act more nicely towards her. It doesn't mean he's gonna say love you that quick. We're talking 'bout Byakuya after all.**

**About my mention about Ichigo… Sorry. I know some of you hate him or dislike him completely, but it's just logical for her to think about him, right? I mean, she loved him (or at least she thinks so) and it would sound too fake if she just forget him all of sudden, don't you think? What kind of love is this you can forget so easily just because you met a handsome man? Rukia is true in all her feelings, she's passionate about everything she does is intense. **

**Rest assured, she'll love Byakuya, but I want to make it true, to make their bond unbreakable and it only happens if it takes time. **

**Aha, I could make at least one chapter without a cliff. Don't you think I should be reward for this?**

**Leave me a review and tell me what you think! **

**Take care, my lovelies**

**Velvetsins**


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